Gerald Grant

Gerald E. Grant, age 79, of Ft. Ripley, passed away in Duluth on Tuesday, July 10, 2007. The funeral service is planned for Saturday, July 14, at 12:00 noon at Trinity Lutheran Church in Brainerd, with a viewing one hour prior to the service. Interment will be a later date at Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery near Camp Ripley. In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the American Heart Association or a local hospice organization.
Jerry was born on May 28, 1928, in Staples, MN, to Elmer and Selma (Swanson) Grant. The youngest of eight children, Jerry grew up in Staples, and graduated from Staples High School where he was active in basketball, football, track, and baseball. In September, 1946, he entered the Army and was sent to Japan. In 1947, Jerry was honorably discharged from the Army, and enrolled at Macalester College where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree. In 1949, Jerry married Leona Hicks, also from Staples. Jerry worked at Honeywell in Minneapolis, for 32 years, and retired in 1989. In 1972, Leona passed away. Jerry met Joyce Marie Ehlert, New Hope, MN, and they married in 1975. Since retirement, Jerry and Joyce have spent their winters in Florida, and summers on Crow Wing Lake, south of Brainerd. Jerry was an avid sportsman. He enjoyed tennis, golf, cribbage, and fishing with the boys. He was a proud supporter of Macalester College. He loved his family and the practical jokes his kids enjoyed playing on him.

Jerry will be missed by his wife, Joyce; children, Jeffrey (Kathy) Grant of Rogers, Gregory Grant of Buffalo, Kathy (Paul) Silliman of Maple Grove, Trent (Wendy) Westerlund-Ehlert of Brainerd, Bryce (Chris) Ehlert of Maple Grove, Andrea (Edward) Frattarelli of Punta Gorda, FL; grandchildren, Ann (John) Marma of Winnemucca, NV, Benjamin Silliman of Maple Grove, Aaron and Jacob Ehlert of Maple Grove, Nathan Westerlund of Brainerd, Biaggio, Nikko, and Mylo Frattarelli of Punta Gorda, FL; great-grandchildren Caleb, William, and Olivia Marma of Winnemucca, NV; siblings, Robert Grant of Brainerd, LeRoy Grant of Reno, NV, Dorothy Borle, Betty Gillespie, and Priscilla Gillespie of Staples. Jerry was preceded in death by his first wife, Leona Hicks, his parents, sister Emma Johnson, and brother Harry Grant.