Greg Alford

Born on February 26, 1953 in Melbourne, Florida
Departed on January 11, 2022 in Rockledge, Florida

Greg was a lifelong Brevard County resident. He was born February 26, 1953 at Melbourne Hospital on US-1. He was the third son of Al and Muriel Alford. He died January 11, 2022.

Greg grew up in Melbourne and later moved to Chuluota, Fl and then to his last home in Rockledge, Fl. He graduated from Melbourne High School in 1971. After high school Greg became an apprentice with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 606 in Orlando and became a Master Electrician. He was proud to belong to the IBEW and to the Union. He worked as an electrician on many large jobs. He always bragged about how much wire he pulled to build Epcot in Orlando. If you listened to him he built Epcot single-handedly. He also helped build the St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant on Hutchinson Island. Greg supported and was an active member of the IBEW Local 606 in Orlando until his death.

After retiring from electrical work Greg worked as a process server in Brevard County. He did this for many years and was very good at it. Later, he and his son Jason had a lawn business together.

Greg was married to the love of his life, Joan. He always called Joan by Joanie. “My Joanie” They were married over 40 years until her unexpected death in 2020. Greg never recovered from losing his Joanie. We are sure Greg died of a broken heart.

Greg had many hobbies. In his earlier years he loved to fish. He always thought he could out fish anyone. He would ask people he passed on the way to a fishing spot if they caught anything. They usually responded “no”. Being the eternal fishing optimist he would say after they were out of earshot, “Did you see the size of weights on their lines?” or some other observations about what was wrong with their fishing rigs.

Greg was also a master gardener. I think he got that from his dad. Greg was always growing vegetables in his backyard. He also grew exotic fruit trees.

Later in life Greg took an interest in growing Orchids. Orchids require a special type of person that will take care of and nurture their growth. That was Greg. He was proud of his Orchids and would gift them to his friends and family. Many remember Greg showing up unexpectedly with a special Orchid he had grown for them. The Orchids were treasures.

Greg was a jokester. He was always telling jokes. Greg always had an opinion about something and was not afraid to share it. He was bigger than life. His grandniece, Gina, said Greg always told her “I know 1,543 (number always changed) jokes but I can’t remember the punch line to the last one.”

Greg loved dogs but they had to be mutts. His favorite dog was a mutt he named Pee-Wee that followed him home when he was a kid. Greg said he was a dog whisperer and that was probably true. He told a story about serving papers to someone who had a mean dog in their yard. He knew how to calm the dog by wagging his back side and talking to it. When he got to the door the dog owner asked how he got passed the dog and Greg would tell them that he and the dog were now buddies. That was Greg.

Greg is predeceased by his father Al Alford, mother Muriel Hubler Alford, his wife Joan and his oldest brother Leon. He is survived by his son Jason, his brother Donald (Mary), his niece Vicki Alford Handschuh (Fred), his niece Angela Alford Matteson (Bill), his niece Heather Alford Baker (Scott) and four grandnieces and two grandnephews. A private celebration of life for Greg will be held by his family.

Vicki wrote…Uncle Greg was a one of a kind. He was sweet and crazy and he had absolutely no filter. You knew what he was thinking whether you wanted to or not. My favorite memory of Uncle Greg is him spinning Heather and me around on the death trap metal merry go round at Fee Avenue Park until we were about to be sick. I miss him but I am glad he is reunited with his Joanie.