Alexander Gryskevich III

Alexander “Alex” Gryskevich, III, 72, of Weirton passed away on July 18, 2024 after recent complications of a hip replacement surgery .

Born on February 21, 1952, Alex was the first of two sons born to Alexander and Leona “Tee” Blankenship Gryskevich, Jr.

He graduated from Weir High School in 1970 and United Electronics Institute in June of 1971. Shortly after, on February 3, 1973, he married Debra Raye Pratt beginning a life filled with love and dedication. His career was marked by a variety of roles, each demonstrating his unwavering commitment to his community. At the young age of 13, Alex started working by digging graves for Hancock County. From 1973 to 1982, he worked as a forklift operator at Weirton Steel. In 1982, Alex began a distinguished career as a firefighter for the City of Weirton, serving until 2009. He rose to the rank of lieutenant and took on the role of Fire Chief for the Oakland Volunteer Fire Department. His dedication to his work was evident in his design of the City of Weirton Engine Number 4. Additionally, Alex programmed voting machines across the United States, with significant work in New Jersey and West Virginia, and took pride in his carpentry work on the WVU Coliseum for Dean Allen Construction.

Alex experienced the heartbreaking loss of his first wife, Debra, on September 2, 2015. Many remember Debra as a church organist at Kings Creek Union Chapel and a paralegal for Arthur Recht. Despite this profound loss, Alex found love again and married Gwen Horner Heinzeroth on May 14, 2016.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, Alex enjoyed simple pleasures such as cooking out with family, tending to his vegetable garden, working with his model trains, and cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Ohio State, and NASCAR. He will be remembered as a man of strong morals, always ready for a laugh and deeply committed to his family.

He was an active member of Kings Creek Union Chapel and the West Virginia Professional Firefighters Association.

His legacy will live on in the hearts of his wife, Gwen, his son, Alex (Kimberly) Gryskevich, IV, his daughter, Patricia “Tricia” (Daniel) Gryskevich – Hennis; step children, Heidi Heinzeroth, Brittany (Adam “A.J.” ) Shuba, and Harold Heinzeroth, Jr.; his brother, Roy L. (Jeanette) Gryskevich; his grandchildren, Alex, Ashley, Nicolai, Kadin, Christine, Billy, Donovan, and Ian Douglas, Adin, and Avery; twelve great grandchildren, and two great- great grandchildren; and his beloved dog Scruffy.

Visitation will be Sunday 1-3 and 6-8 PM at the Greco-Hertnick Funeral Home 3219 Main Street Weirton, where funeral services will be held 11:00 AM on Monday. The Professional Weirton Firefighters Union Local 948 will stand Honor Guard.

Engine Number 4 will lead the procession to Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.

Memorial contributions may be made to Give the Kids the World Village. https://www.gktw.org/help/give.php

Share tributes at www.grecohertnick.com