Peter Colby Gruenberg

Dr. Peter Gruenberg, 70, dedicated husband, father, grandfather and friend passed away September 10th at his home in Winter Park, FL. Born September 27, 1951 in Evanston, IL, Peter graduated from Glenbard West H.S. and was awarded degrees from Carleton College and The University of North Carolina Medical School. He went on to complete a residency in Ophthalmology from The Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. It was in Boston that he met the love of his life, Mary Ann. A coast to coast courtship ensued as Peter completed his fellowship in Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus at The Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA. The two moved to Florida to join The Florida Eye Clinic, where Peter became the third partner in one of the first multispecialty eye practices in the United States. He spent 39 years growing the clinic, along with his partners and dedicated staff, into one of the most successful and respected independent practices in Florida. Peter loved hearing his patients’ life stories beyond their eye concerns and would surprise them by remembering those stories years later. Along with his busy clinic schedule, he began screening uninsured premature infants in the Orlando area. Many of these babies became lifelong patients and Peter enjoyed watching them grow into adulthood. Peter had an encyclopedic knowledge of music and a collection to match. Although he had to be nudged into the tech revolution, he made sure his iTunes collection reflected that vast knowledge. Above all things, Peter adored his wife and three children. He never let work distract from that devotion and made sure they were surrounded by joy and adventure. He cherished each child’s growth extolling a first cross of the monkey bars with a triumphant “Look what 8 can do!” He shared his love of history, politics, geography and astronomy with them over nightly family dinners and, later, frequent text messages. His children never had to refer to the news for a daily weather report or the timing of a rocket launch. He always said during the dozens of family trips both near and far, “Let’s do it! We may never be this close again.” Peter was the beloved husband of Mary Ann, father to Christopher Gruenberg, Katherine Gruenberg Lemire (Donald), Victoria Gruenberg, and grandfather to Milo Peter Lemire. Peter is preceded in death by his parents, Robert P. and Imogene (Chandler) Gruenberg and brother Dr. James Gruenberg. He is also survived by his sister, Imogene Zimmerman, and many loving nieces and nephews. Services will be held on Saturday September 24th, 2022, 10 AM, at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 426 N. Park Avenue, Winter Park, Florida. Reception to follow. Burial private. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The Robert P. and Imogene C. Gruenberg Scholarship Fund, High Point University, High Point NC 27268 engage.highpoint.edu or Massachusetts General Hospital, Brain Tumor Stem Cell Lab, 185 Cambridge https://www.massgeneral.org/neurosurgery/research-and-clinical trials/brain-tumor-stem-cell-lab

Peter Colby Gruenberg

September 27, 1951 - September 10, 2022