'Genuine' Smithtown Teacher Mourned After Unexpected Death

LAKE GROVE, NY — Family, friends, peers and students of Greg Sill, who taught at Smithtown High School West, are in mourning after Sill died on March 26. Sill's death was unexpected, his wife, Elizabeth Sill, wrote on a GoFundMe page.

"Greg was a kind hearted, genuine, loving, and charismatic gentleman," she said.

Elizabeth launched the Greg Sill "Be the coffee bean" Memorial Fund earlier in the week in order to "have the world experience the goodness that is Greg Sill." The fund is meant to provide scholarships to students who exemplify the Greg Sill life: goodness, positivity and kindness, according to Elizabeth. Funds will also be donated to charity.

"I hope this fund continues for many years," she said. "The reason for this fund is that Greg and I spoke often of our lives in the next few years and we wanted to ensure that philanthropy was an integral part. With his passing, this will set us back a bit, but I am hoping with donations we can start to fulfill his dream of helping others."

Sill, as a teacher, aimed to bring humanity to his history lessons and teach his students about positivity and positive actions, according to Elizabeth. His passion shone through in interactive lessons. He made sure to help his English Language Learners obtain as much knowledge as possible.

"His classroom is a testament to his passion, he filled it with artifacts from his travels to bring history to life," Elizabeth wrote.

Sill's death has rocked the Smithtown High School West community. Principal John Coady said the school activated its Crisis Intervention Team, made up of professionals, to help students, parents and school personnel.

"Greg was a highly respected educator who had a deep passion for educating students," Coady told Patch in a statement. "His sudden passing is devastating and incomprehensible. This significant loss is sure to raise many emotions, concerns and questions for our entire school community."

Sill was a family man: a husband and father to three girls, a son, brother, uncle and nephew.

"He wanted to make sure you knew you were loved and would do anything for his family," Elizabeth said. "He loved having the family together and made sure he spent time with each of them. As a husband and father to three girls, he was indescribable. He loved us immensely and would yell it from the rooftops if he could."

Sill was characterized as his family's supporter, cheerleader and someone who always brought positivity into his home.

"I always said it took a special man to be a girl dad, and Greg showed me every day that he was," Elizabeth said. "His impact on the girls is evident, he has raised happy, empathetic, life loving young women. As my partner for 30 years, he made me feel like the most special girl on earth, not a day went by that I questioned his love for me. I was as madly in love with him now, as I was when I met him at 16. He lived life to the fullest, always wanting to soak up every second of life. Perhaps, he knew his time here was limited."

The Sill family is setting up a non-profit organization, Elizabeth shared.

The memorial foundation has already garnered more than $44,000 as of Wednesday morning.

"Greg Sill was here for a short time, but if you were lucky enough to know him then you know the light that has been taken from this world," Elizabeth said. "My goal is to make sure that his name continues to be spoken, and that it bring as much joy as the person he was."