Obituary of Christian D. Greeley

Christian “Chris” David Greeley passed away unexpectedly on March 9th, 2023. His loss is felt deeply by his family, friends, and community. His spirit of kindness, optimism, and generosity was known by anyone who met him. His sense of humor was unmatched; he was incredibly quick-witted and went to great lengths to make other people laugh. He felt a calling to public service and cared deeply about protecting and caring for the community he served, the Town of Holden. 

Chris’s commitment to his family came first, he was a devoted husband to Donna, his wife of 22 years, and a loving father to his son Cole and daughters Ali and Sam. 

Born May 16, 1962, in Bangor, Maine, Chris grew up spending time at “Greeley Farm”, where his grandparents lived. He attended high school at John Bapst before graduating from Bangor High School. He later pursued his Associate’s Degree in Business at Eastern Maine Technical College. He graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in 1995 and went on to proudly serve Penobscot County as a law enforcement officer in the towns of Veazie, Brewer, and most recently Holden, where he was Chief of Police for the past seven years. This is where Chris would become an example of true community policing. Chris believed that creating trust between law enforcement and the public was crucial in building community and boy did he succeed. His 25 Days of Kindness became a hallmark fundraiser, raising more than $25,000 last year. That money would be used to pay for fuel, food, rent, and other resources for those in need. 

Chris was a man of many faces and many talents and his entrepreneurial spirit led him to a diverse career path. He served District 22 in the Maine State Legislature for four consecutive terms, from 2002 until 2010, where he served on the Criminal Justice and Public Safety committee. Never one to shy away from the spotlight, he traveled the country as a motivational speaker for Skillpath Seminars. He also worked as a weatherman for NewsCenter2, where he sat on the anchor desk with his wife Donna, and then weekends on WABI TV5. He often filled in as a guest host for WVOM, the Voice of Maine. In 2010, Chris and Donna took over Loving Touch in Home Care, a family business started by his mother. 

Aside from his commitment to his community, Chris’s personal passion was music. He was a truly gifted musician and self-taught guitar player. Throughout the 1980s he was a stagehand for Rick Bronson Productions when large shows came to town. He played in several rock bands and operated a DJ business and started the “Jingle Jungle” with his brother-in-law, Keith. He loved boxing and mixed martial arts, achieving a black belt in Kenpo Karate and competing as an amateur boxer. 

Chris would be amazed and humbled by the outpouring of love and support that so many have shown over the last week. Chris would want communities and law enforcement to continue to demonstrate the kind of support, kindness, and respect toward one another that he embodied. 

Chris is survived by his wife Donna (Gormley) Greeley, his loving children Cole Greeley of Veazie, Ali Gormley of Portland, and Samantha Gormley of Raleigh, NC., his sister Melissa Tasker and her husband Keith of Westbrook, his sister Gabrielle Greeley of Portland, and his mother Victoria Greeley of Brewer. 

The family would like to thank the Veazie Police and Fire Department for their sensitivity and kindness. Special appreciation to Veazie Police Chief Mark Leonard, Holden Police Lieutenant Eddie Benjamin, and Holden Police Sergeant Andy Whitehouse, for their unwavering support.

Services will be held Friday, March 17th, 2pm, at the Anah Shriners Building, 1404 Broadway in Bangor. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Chris Greeley’s Children’s Trust in Chris’s memory to the following address.

Eaton Peabody

Attn: Nathaniel Putnam

P.O. Box 1210

Bangor, ME 04402-1210