Gregory "Greg" Ciesnicki was the kind of man who made the world feel a little warmer, a little kinder, and a little more like home. He passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, February 1, 2025, at the age of 75, leaving behind a community that will feel his absence in ways both big and small.

Born in Elkhart on May 10, 1949, to Anthony Raymond and Irene Ciesnicki, Greg spent his life in the city he loved, forming deep bonds with friends who became family. Whether it was his St. Vincent de Paul Church family, his J.P. family, the neighbors who cherished his kind heart, or the feline companions who curled up beside him in quiet devotion, Greg was surrounded by love. And he gave it back tenfold.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 20, 2025, at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 1108 S. Main St., Elkhart, where Greg often filled the sanctuary with the music he so dearly loved. He will be laid to rest immediately after at St. Vincent Cemetery, reunited with his beloved mother, whom he cared for with unwavering devotion. Following the graveside service, friends and neighbors will gather at Vincent Hall at the church to celebrate his life and share the stories that made him unforgettable.

Memorial donations may be given to St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, Elkhart County Animal Shelter, and to Billings Funeral Home to help pay for funeral expenses.

To call Greg a pillar of his community would be an understatement. He was a quiet force of kindness, a man who could turn a chance meeting into a lasting friendship. A proud member of Elkhart High's class of 1968, Greg was intelligent, independent, and endlessly creative. Music ran through his veins— he occasionally played the organ at St. Vincent's with reverence, he composed and performed original pieces in the church, and could talk for hours about melodies, harmonies, and the great composers with anyone willing to listen.

His faith was just as deep as his love for music. Greg was a wellspring of knowledge when it came to Catholic doctrine, the lives of the Saints, and the intricacies of theology. He found kindred spirits in the priests he met, including those from the local Orthodox Church in Goshen, always eager to share insights and deepen his understanding.

Beyond music and faith, Greg was an artist, his paintings gracing the halls of the Elkhart County 4-H Fair. He had a gift for nurturing life, tending to his plants and herbs with the same care he showed his friendships. And though he lived a quiet life, he found joy in the simple pleasures—a hot cup of coffee at the 7-Eleven on Jackson Street, a crossword puzzle solved under fluorescent lights, conversations with the night-shift workers and officers who came to know him as more than just a regular.

Greg never met a stranger. If he called you a friend, he meant it for life. He was a neighbor in the truest sense of the word—the kind who looked out for others, the kind we could all use more of in the world.

He will be dearly missed. But those who knew him will carry his kindness, his wisdom, and his quiet generosity forward. And in that way, Greg will never truly be gone.

Elkhart County Humane Society
54687 County Road 19, Bristol IN 46507
Tel: 1-574-848-4225
Web: http://www.info@elkharthumanesociety.org

St. Vincent dePaul Catholic Church
1108 South Main Street, Elkhart IN 46516
Tel: 1-574-293-8231
Web: http://www.stvincentelkhart.org

To the Funeral Home to assist with Funeral Expenses