Thomas William Greelish (December 31, 1939 – June 23, 1991) was an American lawyer who served as
United States Attorney
United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal ...
for the
District of New Jersey from 1985 to 1987.
[
]
Biography
Greelish was born on December 31, 1939, in Manhattan, New York City
Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the smallest county by area in the U.S. state of New York. Located almost entire ...
to Mildred and William Greelish. At the age of 7 he moved with his family to Califon, New Jersey
Califon is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, Hunterdon County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 1,005, a decrease of 71 (−6.6%) from the 2010 Unit ...
. He attended Dickinson College
Dickinson College is a Private college, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded in 1773 as Carlisle Grammar School, Dickinson was chartered on September 9, 1783, ...
from 1957 to 1959 and then dropped out of college and worked at a brewery. He decided to return to school full-time, attending night classes and graduating from Rutgers–Newark in 1967 with a B.A. degree. He received a J.D. degree from Seton Hall University School of Law in 1971.[
In 1976 he joined the Morristown law firm of Schenck, Price, Smith & King. He became First Assistant ]Attorney General of New Jersey
The attorney general of New Jersey is a member of the executive cabinet of the state and oversees the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, Department of Law and Public Safety. The office is appointed by the governor of New Jersey, confi ...
in 1982, and then first assistant U.S. Attorney in 1983 under W. Hunt Dumont.[
From August 1985 to March 1987, Greelish was the U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey. During his tenure he prosecuted cases dealing with organized crime, white-collar fraud and drug trafficking. Among the cases he handled was the prosecution of Susan Rosenberg and Timothy Blunk for their role in the Resistance Conspiracy.][
He resigned to enter private practice, working as a partner in the Newark office of LeBoeuf, Lamb, Leiby & MacRae (later known as LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae).][
In 1991 Greelish died of an apparent ]heart attack
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when Ischemia, blood flow decreases or stops in one of the coronary arteries of the heart, causing infarction (tissue death) to the heart muscle. The most common symptom ...
after attending an outdoor symphony performance in Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown () is a Town (New Jersey), town in and the county seat of Morris County, New Jersey, Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. . He was 51 and lived in Mendham Township with his wife Peggy Ann.
Legacy
He was survived by his wife Peggy, daughter Sharon Greelish Cody, J.D. (Partnership Manager at Harbor Compliance), and son James P. Greelish, M.D.(Assistant Professor Columbia University, Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery Caromont Healthcare, Inc.). His other son William Robert Greelish died of Duchene's muscular dystrophy at the age of 25.[
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greelish, Thomas W.
1939 births
1991 deaths
Lawyers from New York City
People from Califon, New Jersey
People from Mendham Township, New Jersey
Dickinson College alumni
Rutgers University alumni
Seton Hall University School of Law alumni
United States attorneys for the District of New Jersey
20th-century American lawyers