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Comments on: Letters https://blogsites.colgate.edu/scene/2015/04/letters-5.html News and views for the Colgate community Mon, 21 Nov 2016 17:34:51 +0000 hourly 1 By: Joe Losquadro '64 https://blogsites.colgate.edu/scene/2015/04/letters-5.html#comment-6596 Thu, 25 Jun 2015 17:15:49 +0000 http://news.colgate.edu/scene/?p=4988#comment-6596 Remembering Greg Auleta

11/9/42-10/29/14

On June 20, 2015, Al Whipple and Joe Losquadro traveled to Oswego NY to attend a memorial celebration of the life of Gregory F Auleta (Colgate ’64), who died of ALS on October, 29, 2014. The celebration included the dedication of a bench with plaque that read “Greg said that when you decide to do something, do it with a glad heart.” It overlooks Lake Ontario in Breitbeck Park, – where he spent many hours reminiscing the times he and his wife Sunny spent sailing on the lake. We knew something special was happening when a crowd of OVER 60 gathered for the dedication. About a dozen stood to share their recollections of Greg. That so many had so much to say is a testament to this quiet man who was so intimately involved in his community.

During his all too short life, Greg was involved in so many things – most as a volunteer beyond his work. He served, mostly concurrently as:

Union president of United University Professions for 18 years.
Worked to coordinate the annual Hospice Regatta
Chaired the Oswego Zoning Board
Member, (CHAIR) Board of Directors, Children’s Center of Oswego
Sailor/boat enthusiast on Naked Sun with wife Sunny
Member and Corresponding Secretary, Oswego Yacht Club
Longtime supporter of the H. Lee White Maritime Museum and Oswego Maritime Foundation
Avid reader and founder of The Bookies – a 20-year book club
Founder of local poker game where philosophy, books, politics and yes playing cards took place
Super fan and season ticket holder, Oswego State Lakers ice hockey team
Baseball player
Avid golfer
Big brother to Nancy
Father and mentor to Kate
Husband to Sunny
Brother to Colgate fraternity brothers
Friend to many

Greg spent his adult work life at the State University of New York (SUNY) Oswego, initially as a teacher of English but ultimately and for the bulk of his career as a member (and for many years President) of the United University Professions Union. In that role, Greg was motivated most by what was good for the individual members,

Greg was very involved in Hospice, both as a member of the Board of Directors, and Secretary/Treasurer of Friends of Oswego County Hospice and Chairman of the annual Hospice Regatta.

Member of the Oswego zoning board dedicated to maintaining the historical character of Oswego.

In his work on the Board of Directors of the Children’s Center of Oswego, a childcare center and preschool, Greg was described as concerned as much for the staff as for the children – ensuring the best working environment possible.

Sailor/boater, with wife Sunny on their 38 ft sailboat Naked Sun and member/corresponding secretary of the Oswego Yacht Club.

Greg was the glue that held together the Bookies, a local book club with members from the community as well as the university – meeting monthly for more than 20 years.

And similarly, Greg was the inspiration and sustaining force behind a monthly poker game that spent as much or more time discussing philosophy, books, and politics (national, local and college) as well as playing cards.

Greg was a fan and season ticket holder of the Oswego State Lakers, the men’s ice hockey team – never missing a home game and traveling to watch the team as well. The fan with whom he had the tickets bought Greg’s season ticket so he would not have to sit next to some stranger.

In his youth, Greg was an accomplished baseball player – playing for Colgate and after signing with the Yankees, in the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) a collegiate summer baseball league from where many future Major League players have started. Later in life, he played in a slow pitch softball league, where he was described by a teammate as the only one with any talent.

An avid golfer, who one of his playing partners in a local tournament shared accomplished a challenging feat of scoring an Eagle (two under par) on a very difficult par 4 hole – two successive days in a row!

Greg’s sister Nancy remembered Greg as one of the “big boys,” who allowed her to play with them as long as she took on the role of “the Nazi, the Jap, the Indian, or just about anyone who deserved to be tied to a tree.”

Many more, personal recollections are available in a memory book at:
http://www.legacy.com/guestbook/batesville/guestbook.aspx?n=gregory-auleta&pid=173011074

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