Stephen Greig: South Boston pride and a life of service

Stephen Greig outside Patriot Homes.

For Stephen Greig, South Boston isn’t just a neighborhood — it’s home, history, and heart.

And for 25 years, it’s also been the route of one of his proudest commitments: the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day and Evacuation Day Parade — a tradition he helps carry out year after year.

“I grew up on K Street between Sixth and Seventh,” he said. “I can tell you everybody who lived on both sides of the street.”

Stephen, who served in the U.S. Army from 1971 to 1974 and was stationed in Korea, has lived at South Boston NDC’s Patriot Homes for veterans since the building first opened 10 years ago. For him and his family, it was nothing short of life-changing.

After living most of his life in South Boston, he and his family had moved to Mattapan. “We didn’t really fit in that well,” he recalled. Getting around required multiple buses and trolleys. When they heard about Patriot Homes through a lottery process, they applied — and were thrilled when they were selected.

“It’s nice — and it was affordable,” he said.

Stephen, 75, remains deeply appreciative of the stability Patriot Homes provides — especially as “rents are going through the roof.”

At Patriot Homes, he enjoys the sense of community and the resident activities organized by Christine Kelly, the resident coordinator. “She comes up with some good stuff,” Stephen said.  “She’s very good at what she does. Very involved.”

But for Stephen, Patriot Homes is more than housing and camaraderie — it’s a return to the community that shaped him and his volunteerism.

25 Years Behind the Scenes of the Parade

One of Stephen’s longest-running commitments has been to the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day and Evacuation Day Parade. This year marks 25 years of his volunteering — a milestone recently recognized with a plaque honoring his service to the South Boston veterans community.

When asked what the parade means to him, his answer is immediate: “Pride.”

He began in the color guard, marching with the American and Irish flags. Over the years, he has worked behind the scenes organizing bands and coordinating logistics at Gillette, making sure marching groups enter the route in proper order.

“People just assume that boom, there’s a parade,” he said. “A lot of hard work goes into it.”

Planning begins almost immediately after each year’s parade. “When this parade’s over, a month or so afterwards, they’ll start planning 2027,” he explained.

Stephen describes the careful choreography required — alternating marching bands and floats, spacing out pipe bands to avoid clashing rhythms, negotiating fees, coordinating sponsors, and ensuring veterans remain at the heart of the event.

The parade is meant to honor veterans, he said, explaining the historical significance of March 17, when British troops evacuated Boston in 1776. “They forced the British out of Boston — which happened to be March 17, which is St. Patrick’s Day.”

He attends meetings throughout the year and helps feed groups onto Broadway during the parade. And he’ll also take part in the Evacuation Day reenactment, marching to Dorchester Heights as cannons are brought up in tribute to history.

Even after briefly stepping away years ago, he returned when asked. “They said they needed help. So it’s OK,” he said. “I sort of came out of retirement.”

A Champion for Veterans

After the Army, Stephen went back to work at Stop & Shop, before moving onto Bradlees Department Store in Quincy, and then Boston Centers for Youth & Families. 

Stephen has volunteered in South Boston for decades, much of that time supporting veterans’ organizations and community events. His work with the Knights of Columbus started his path to volunteering, starting as a Bingo caller. He is also involved with the VFW Post in Andrew Square, the McDonough American Legion Post, and the Fitzgerald VFW post, holding various positions at each, including Commander.

His philosophy is simple: “I believe that every veteran should be represented. They should have a voice somewhere with somebody. And if they have a problem, they can come see me and I’ll see what I can do.”

He knows firsthand how important that support can be. After experiencing serious health issues — including kidney cancer — the VA system ultimately helped save his life.

“It was a godsend going to the VA,” he said. 

For Stephen, service didn’t end when he left the Army. It simply changed form.

Friendship and Community

When asked what South Boston means to him, Stephen pauses before answering: “Friendship.”

He remembers a time when neighbors knew each other intimately — and parents knew where their kids were before they even got home. “If I was down D Street, by the time I get home, my mother would say, ‘What were you doing down D Street?’” he laughed.

“There were no guns, no knives. You might get in a fight with someone, but the next day you were friends.”

While he acknowledges that times have changed, he still finds connection — with neighbors, fellow veterans, and residents at Patriot Homes.

“I do like living here,” he said.

After a lifetime of service — to his country, his fellow veterans, and his neighborhood — Stephen Greig remains exactly where he belongs: in South Boston, surrounded by the community he has spent decades supporting.

And when the bands step off this March, he’ll be there — making sure everything runs just right — filled with pride.