Loyola History Department Mourns the Death of Greg DeBenedictis
I am sad to report that Greg DeBenedictis, a former graduate student in the History Department, passed away in his sleep on 2 February 2019. For the past several years, Greg was battling diabetes and this most likely contributed to his death. Greg was an Americanist Ph.D. candidate in the History Department from 1990 to 1994. Before he left the program for personal reasons, he was working on a dissertation proposal that examined organized crime in Chicago, specifically 鈥渕ob鈥� funerals. He worked in IT Sales for Insight in the western suburbs for the last 15 years. Greg was known for his insatiable curiosity, historical inquisitiveness, and infectious wit, all of which made him a favorite student in the department during 1990s. His classmate David Blanke, now a professor of history at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, remembers that Greg 鈥渙ften commented that the happiest time of his life was when he was in graduate school,鈥� adding that he 鈥渃onsidered those who mentored him as great friends.鈥� Greg鈥檚 sister Lauren, with whom he worked, thanks the Department 鈥渇or really filling Greg鈥檚 life with joy. He was always his happiest laughing and enlightening much of the general population about history.鈥� I know I speak for many in the department that Greg鈥檚 wonderful sense of humor and distinctive empathy for others will always be remembered and missed.
-Timothy Gilfoyle