Richard Grant

Richard Dick Grant, age 82 of Rock Rapids, IA died Saturday, August 12, 2006, at the Merrill Pioneer Community Hospital in Rock Rapids, IA. Memorial services will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 15th at the United Methodist Church in Rock Rapids, with Rev. Anita Bane, officiating. Private family interment with military honors will be at the Riverview Cemetery prior to the memorial service. Visitation will be Monday, August 14th from 2-8 p.m. with the family present from 6-8 p.m. at the Roste Funeral Home of Rock Rapids. Richard W. Grant was born October 22, 1923 on the family farm near Rockwell City, Iowa the son of Lloyd A. and Jeannette (Medd) Grant. He grew up in Rockwell City and graduated from Rockwell City High School in 1941. He was in the V12 program at Iowa State College and graduated with a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1947. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II in the Philippines and was honorably discharged. At Iowa State College he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and met his wife, Jeane E. Gross. They were united in marriage in Des Moines Iowa on December 29, 1946. To this union four daughters were born, Jeri, Carol, Jo, and Nancy. In 1952, Dick and family moved from Omaha, Nebraska to Rock Rapids. Dick and John DeWild established the partnership of DeWild and Grant, Consulting Engineers. He served as president of DGR from 1971 until his retirement in 1983. Upon his retirement he spent time at Ten Mile Lake in Minnesota where he was an active member of the Ten Mile Lake Association. Highlights of his career include advisor and manager of the An Giang Rural Electrical Cooperative in Long Xuyen Province, Vietnam (1966) as part of the United States Aid Mission to Vietnam. He designed the L&O Power Cooperative power transmission system. Dick was a long time member of the United Methodist Church of Rock Rapids. He was a 50+ year member of the Masonic Lodge. Other memberships include the Abu Bekr Shrine, VFW Post 6960, American Legion and numerous community and professional boards and commissions. His family remembers how Dick shared his joy and pride in his children and grandchildren. Even though he was a man of few words, we all knew of his love. He possessed a great eye for detail, always measured twice and cut once. His family recalls his brilliant mind and love for New York Times crossword puzzles. His second career included golfing, fishing, and spending time with his family. He was often seen traveling between his summer home in Minnesota at Ten Mile Lake, house in Rock Rapids, and winters in Orange Beach Alabama. He is survived by his four daughters, Jeri Matzen of St. Louis, MO, Carol (Dennis) Groenenboom of Naperville, IL, Jo (Bob) Elliott of San Diego, CA, and Nancy (Ron) Weathers of Coralville, IA, eight grandchildren " Melissa (Matt) Brookshier, Tom (Erika) Matzen, Jill Groenenboom (Steve Brady), Jeff (Tiffany) Groenenboom, Grant Elliott, Jessica Elliott, Erin Weathers, and Jaycie Weathers, and one great grandson, Brayden Hogan Groenenboom. He is survived by his sister, Janice (Ron) Crawford of Washington, IA, and L. Dean (Shirley) Grant of Rockwell City, IA and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Mr. Grant was preceded in death by wife Jeane Gross Grant, parents, Lloyd and Jeannette Grant, infant sister, Mavis Irene Grant, and son-in-law Jerry Matzen. The Grant family wishes that the Memorial for Dick be made to: Habitat for Humanity www.habitat.org/donation/ or Fishing Has No Boundaries, Inc. c/o Dave Anderson P.O. Box 1135 Minnetonka, MN 55345 Make check payable to Fishing Has No Boundaries-Brainard Lakes Chapter