Greg Teofilo Obituary

Greg Teofilo

Feb 16, 1953 - Aug 5, 2024

Sandusky

Greg Teofilo, 71, of Sandusky, passed away Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, after a brief battle with aggressive cancer. Get your screenings!

Greg (known to some of his closest friends as Craig!) was a spitfire of a guy. He did everything fast, including developing and then losing the fight against esophageal cancer in a matter of seven weeks. Hot-headed and impatient, he was also kind, understanding, brilliant, and always willing to help a fellow felon. He will want all of us to remember that people with a past are absolutely people first. What they've done doesn't define who they are and while he was slick as a snake oil salesman, he was fiercely protective of his friends and always willing to lend a hand or car.

Greg's first love was boats (the faster the better), followed by cars (the cheaper the better), followed by talking on the phone as often as possible. From the era of the Zack Morris phone to now, it'd be safe to say he spent at least half his time pacing around whatever room, car lot, or store he was in, chatting away to everyone who would listen.

Greg was born in 1953 in Shelby and adopted by the Teofilo family shortly thereafter. We reference his adoption because it's something he rarely mentioned, but definitely something he thought about often. Greg went to Sandusky High School, then finished a GED, and took off for Vietnam with U.S. Navy. He learned the foundation for all that crazy stuff he knew about computers from his years in the service and he often talked about how much he enjoyed being stationed in Key West for a couple years.

Greg was a savant with cars and boats. If something was wrong, he could figure out what and fix it from just a noise, smell, or quick glance. He owned a marina in Mansfield for about 20 years a while back, then continued working on cars and boats around Sandusky for the rest of his life. For the last couple decades, Greg spent as much time as he could helping Jimmy out at Jim's Auto with whatever was needed, likely talking the faces off all the guys working in the yard and in the shop.

Hobbies included bragging about his daughter to anyone but her (it's OK, she knows), watching every NASCAR race (Hendrick will always win), and buying and selling as many cars as possible. His favorite words were four letters long and he didn't hesitate to use them frequently.

Greg is survived by his daughter, Dr. Tiffany, who did all she could to maintain some semblance of a good relationship - which definitely got easier as they got older (and her patient husband, who has to listen to all the stories about him); estranged son and daughter, Greg and Amy - two wonderful, successful people; sister, Wanda; and friends who meant the world to him like Raquel, Cortney, Jimmy, Dennis, Ricky, and Tom.

He was preceded in death by his sweet puppy, Coco (who lived to be at least 22!); father, Pete; mother, Wanda; and some friends who tolerated him their whole lives, Kevin, TJ, Doug, and David.

Greg loved kids and animals. He got along better with them than anyone else. His dog, Sammie, has been looking for him everywhere for the past couple weeks and he is a very good boy. The stray cats down around Olds Street were Greg's adopted babies and he made sure to pet, talk to, and feed them regularly. If you see any of them around, please give them a pet for Greg (and snatch them up for TNR if they don't already have clipped ears!).

Greg asked that there be no services, but Tiffany is planning a celebration of life anyway. Friends will be notified details of that soon! If you'd like an invite, text Greg's phone. It will be in service until Oct. 1.

If you'd like to honor Greg's memory, please make donations to Erie County Humane Society or NASCAR Foundation.