Date: Fri 31-Jul-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: CURT

Quick Words:

Gretsch-90th-birthday

Full Text:

Celebrating His 90th Year-- Industrial Visionary Richard Gretsch Honored

(with photo)

Family and friends of Richard Gretsch, Sr, gathered at the Ridgewood Country

Club in Danbury Tuesday evening to honor the retired executive on the occasion

of his 90th birthday.

The surprise party followed his actual birthday by more than a month. Mr

Gretch was born on June 14, Flag Day, 1908.

The party was sponsored and organized by the Danbury Industrial Corporation

and the Housatonic Industrial Development Corporation. Mr Gretsch has served

as president and chairman of both development groups.

In addition to many friends and former business associates of Mr Gretsch, his

daughter Molly Lynch of Southbury and son Rick Gretsch of Stamford attended

the party.

Mr Gretsch is credited with providing the leadership and vision that helped

transform Danbury from a one-industry hatting town into a diverse and thriving

industrial center. He first came to Connecticut in 1946 as president of the

Danbury Gas and Electric Company and retired as an executive with the

Connecticut Light & Power Company in 1973. He is a graduate of the Michigan

School of Engineering and St John's University Law School.

At the July 28 event in Danbury, Mr Gretsch received a proclamation from

Danbury Mayor Gene Eriquez, a birthday card from President Bill Clinton, and a

letter of recognition from Sen Christopher Dodd.

He also took home a few presents of a more practical nature in the setting of

the Ridgewood Country Club, one of Mr Gretsch's current favorite haunts. He

was given some used golf balls to add to the large collection of balls he

finds in the woods and rough at the country club, and a long-handled ball

retriever for plucking balls out of water hazards.