William Christian Gretzinger was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, on August 23, 1867. After attending the public schools in Reading, he took a course in the Reading Business College, after which he entered the Carroll Institute in Reading, a preparatory school for college. After completing the course at Carroll, he began to read law, but also took a course at Perkiomen Seminary, after which he entered Bucknell University, from which he received the Ph.B. degree in 1889 upon completion of the Latin-Scientific program. While an undergraduate, he was one of the founders of L'Agenda , the yearbook, for which he also served as business manager. He was also business manager of the Bucknell Mirror , the college literary publication, for two years and served on the Board of Editors during his senior year.

In 1889, before his graduation from Bucknell, Mr. Gretzinger was elected Business Agent of Bucknell University. In 1892, he became the first Registrar of Bucknell when the Board of Trustees created this position. Gretzinger was an active member of the Lewisburg community. He was a member of the town council, the Lewisburg Fire Department, and the I.O.O.F., Lodge No. 96. He was also secretary for the board of trustees of the Lewisburg Baptist Church, as well as secretary of the Sunday School. With Charles Firth, he introduced basketball to Bucknell in 1895 as a winter sport to keep men fit during the winter months for the benefit of football in the fall. William C. Gretzinger died on February 18, 1909 while serving as Registrar. He is buried in the Lewisburg Cemetery.