Saratoga Springs, NY - Greg Wrobel, 75, passed away February 11, 2023. He was born February 24, 1947 in Troy, New York. Greg was a high school and college athlete (St. Peter's High School (Saratoga, NY), Taft High School (Watertown, CT) and Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT). In his hay day, he traded baskets with Pat Riley in high school and was a 3-sport athlete as a star in basketball, baseball and football. Coming of age in the 1960s, Greg embarked on a wild ride that took him and his motorcycle to every corner of the US. On his trip, he had a son (Joshua) in Missoula, Montana and discovered a love of architecture (and an architectural degree from the University of New Mexico). The love of architecture – and an idea (and a love of drink and entertaining people) – brought him back to upstate New York where he re-designed an old barn on his parent's property into the Rafters.

The Rafters, a nightclub where his battered old BMW motorcycle hung from the rafters, was his home away from home. Not only did the Rafters touch his creative side (designing rooms filled with lights that could have only been built during the Disco era) and his entertaining side, but more importantly, it led him to the love of his life, Judy Chase. Greg and Judy would embark on a 25-year love affair… before they got married in 1997 on Saratoga Lake. It took a few years before, Greg was introduced to the next love of his life, his daughter Emma (a mere 32 years after his first child). From that point forward, his life was committed to Judy and Emma and the friends and family that could be found at their house for every holiday or just a casual stop by for a talk on the porch. Despite his failing health, he fought the fight to make sure that he could see as many of Emma's soccer games as he could and see her graduate and see her off to the University of Richmond (where Emma is a junior).

Greg will be remembered by all for his warm and gregarious nature. The consummate host… everybody was welcome at his table at the track… and welcomed with a laugh, a joke, a drink and a sincere interest in everybody that he came into contact with. A love of his family, friends, golf and politics kept him going even when any number of cancers was making the pain increasingly hard to bear.

Greg finally decided to quit fighting the pain and he is now resting and having a martini with his recently passed good friend. He is survived by his wife: Judy Chase (Saratoga Springs, NY); his children: Emma Wrobel and Josh Wrobel (and wife Caitlin); his grand-children, Campbell (26), Aidan (20) and Will (16); his cousin Chrissie Silverman (Schenectady, NY); and his sister Amy Lamb (Pasadena, CA). His mother, Gen Wrobel, recently preceded him in death and his father, Walter Wrobel, passed many years before.

Relatives and friends may call from 4-7pm, Friday. February 17, 2023 at the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes, 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 (518-584-5373).

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:00am, Saturday. February 18, 2023 at the Historic Church of St. Peter, 241 Broadway followed by burial in Greenridge Cemetery, Lincoln Ave.

A celebration of Greg's life will be held in July 2023 and incorporate two of the things he loved, mirror balls and disco music.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Camp Kesem, a 501(c)3 national organization that supports children who are affected by a parent's cancer, and where Greg's daughter Emma volunteers as a camp counselor. donate.kesem.org/Big-Foot

Camp Kesem

410 Westhampton Way

P.O. Box 21

University of Richmond

Richmond, Virginia 23173

Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com