Great Papa Ed

Edward Ray Grunander
1923 ~ 2012
Edward Ray Grunander (ER), 89, passed away from natural causes on July 6, 2012. Ed was born on March 11, 1923 in Denver, Colorado to Carl E. Grunander and Ida L. Swanson. Ed spent his early and teenage years in Colorado, Wyoming and Iowa. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in Des Moines, Iowa. He attended Drake University during his freshman year. While on an athletic scholarship recruiting trip to Utah he met Ila Jane Smith and they were married on August 3, 1942 in Reno, Nevada. Ila passed away on February 17, 2009. Ed and Ila were sealed together along with their children on April 28, 1960 in the Logan Temple. Ed was drafted before being able to return to college and served in World War II. He was an infantry soldier in Patton's Third Army, 65th Infantry Division as they marched across France and Germany. Upon his discharge, Ila and Ed settled in Logan, Utah where he worked in the automotive industry. He graduated from Utah State University with a BS degree in Economics. He went to work for Sears in Logan, Utah and was eventually promoted to assistant store manager. He was then transferred to the Provo, Utah store as a merchandise manager and then he was promoted to the Utah -Idaho group staff and retired from Sears as manager of the Utah/Idaho distribution center. Upon retirement he volunteered for over 20 years at the Veteran's hospital in Salt Lake City and as a volunteer for the Service Core of Retired Executives (SCORE) giving advice to budding business entrepreneurs. All nine of his grandsons served missions for the LDS church and he was humble about his willingness and ability to help support each of them financially on their missions. He also anonymously helped support several other missionaries in his ward and stake.
He is survived by his four children, Wende Ann Nielsen, Salt Lake City (Arthur), Carl L Grunander, North Ogden, (Christine), Anthony K Grunander, Spanish Fork (Gae) and Peter Ray Grunander, Salt Lake City, (Vicki) and 16 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren.
Funeral Services will be held, Thursday, July 12, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the Brighton 5th Ward, 2561 E Bengal Blvd (7640 S). Friends may call Wednesday, July 11, 2012, 6:00 - 8:00 pm at the Cannon Mortuary, 2460 E. Bengal Blvd. (7600 S.) and the day of the service at the church from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. Interment at Mountain View Memorial Estates. The family expresses their thanks to the nurses and staff of CareSource Home Health and Hospice for their loving care and concern.