William Louis “Bill” Grecco, Ph.D., 86, of Knoxville, Tenn., passed away Tuesday morning.

Bill was born in Brockway, Jefferson County, Pa.

He was a graduate of Butler High School and was named a distinguished alumni in 1985.

Bill was a member of the All Saints Catholic Church, Knoxville.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving during World War II.

Bill retired from the University of Tennessee as an associate dean for academic affairs for the College of Engineering. He was the former dean for the College of Civil Engineering at the University of Tennessee.

Bill was a member of the Tau Beta Phi National Engineering Honor Society.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Patricia Margaret Grecco; a grandson, Mark Grecco; and his parents, Cosimo and Mary Grecco.

He is survived by his wife, Patricia E.J. Grecco; his children and their spouses, Karen and Mike Cornell of Knoxville, Mike and Susan Grecco of Sharps Chapel, Tenn., Kathy and Bill Garner of West Lafayette, Ind., Nancy and Greg O'Connor of Knoxville, Martha and Rob Burke of Knoxville, Mary Thayer of Knoxville, Dan and Theresa Grecco of Germantown, Tenn., Paul and Susie Grecco of Clifton, Va., and Amy and Doug Patterson of Phoenix, Ariz.; 16 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; stepdaughters and sons-in-law, Kathleen and Paul Fortunato of Knoxville and Marjorie and Nick Cardullis of Florida; five step-grandchildren; brothers and sisters-in-law, Sam and Gerri Grecco of Pittsburgh, John and Carolyn Grecco of Mount Pleasant, Pa., and Eddie and Joanne Grecco and Carl Grecco all of Butler; and several nieces and nephews.

<B>GRECCO</B> — A Mass for William Louis “Bill” Grecco, Ph.D., who died Tuesday, April 12, 2011, will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at the All Saints Catholic Church with Father Michael Woods as celebrant. Family and friends will gather at 11:30 a.m. Friday at the East Tennessee State Veterans' Cemetery for graveside services.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Autism Society of East Tennessee, P.O. Box 30015, Knoxville, TN 37930.<B>Click Funeral Home Farragut Chapel</B>, 11915 Kingston Pike, Farragut, is serving the family. Information also is available at www.clickfuneralhome.com.