Gordon Everett Grannes was born at home on April 25, 1930 to Ole and Inga (Enger) Grannes on their farm near Belview, Minnesota. He was the third of seven children. The work ethic that characterized his life began on the farm where he grew up.
As a child, Gordon lived for a time with his aunt and uncle helping out on their farm. In his teens, Gordon worked on a harvest crew in the western states.
He met the love of his life, Lavon Renneke at a dance in Belview. They married September 12, 1953 in Echo, Minnesota and together they forged a partnership based upon love and faith.
Gordon was proud that all six of the Grannes brothers served their country. During the Korean War, he enlisted in the United States Army and served as a crane operator in an engineering division.
Following his honorable discharge from the Army, the family moved to Minneapolis. Gordon’s “official” career as an electronics technician began with that move, but he actually had three careers for most of his life. In addition to five days a week work in the electronics industry, Gordon and his family farmed in southwest Minnesota and provided well-maintained economical housing for 40 families in the Minneapolis area for more than 50 years. Gordon and Lavon shared all of the work of the farm and apartments. They even shared cutting grass at one of their buildings the week he entered the hospital.
Gordon and Lavon raised four sons: Steven born in 1954, Tom born in 1961, Paul born in 1964 and Bruce born in 1969. Their sons were the axis upon which their lives pivoted. Gordon took joy in his family and satisfaction in a job well done, so he was naturally most happy working side by side with his family on the farms and apartment buildings. Gordon was a devout man who believed deeply in the Lord. His wish was to raise up children of faith and character and throughout his life he endeavored to teach his sons and grandchildren by both word and example to live a life in Christ.
As his boys grew, Gordon looked forward to the fall season when he taught them to hunt and so he built a family culture and tradition of hunting together. Throughout their lives, returning to the farm for the annual deer hunt was equivalent to a family holiday for his children and grandchildren.
He was so proud of his sons and wanted to give them every possible opportunity. When the boys began to speed skate, Gordon and Lavon would pack up their station wagon and their coolers and drive their sons across the country to race. The work ethic that Gordon instilled in his boys served them well as they worked to become competitive athletes and he enjoyed many proud hours watching his sons skate.
His sons were his pride but Gordon’s grandchildren and great grandchildren were his joy. Son Steven and his wife Sally gave Gordon and Lavon four grandchildren. Tom and Gini gave them two more grandsons through adoption. Like their dads and uncles, Sarah, Emily, Jeffrey, Daniel, Trey and Wyatt remember some of the best days in their lives happening on the farm or working alongside their Grandpa Gordon. In the last days of his life, at least one of his grandchildren was with him talking and praying every day.
When Tom and Gini married, bringing step grandchildren into the family, Gordon welcomed them with both his heart and his arms opened wide. Paul’s marriage to Judy introduced a very special step grandson along with his older brothers into the family. Bruce brought the three daughters of his special friend Elaine into the circle. Each child was welcomed and made to know that there was a place here where they belonged.
Gordon was the true example of a great grandfather and the birth of Marla Alejandra Carrero gave him that official title when he was 79 years young. Gordon enjoyed a good day at the horse races, but he hit his true trifecta with the births of great grandsons Winston Wakefield Allen and Benjamin Everett Grannes. His joy in his great grandchildren knew no limits and he lit up with each of their visits to his hospital room.
In his Thanksgiving prayer this year, Gordon gave thanks for his two lifetimes. Truly it was more than two lives. A ruptured appendix and a near drowning nearly claimed his life twice as a child. Then he was diagnosed at age 39 with a rare form of cancer, at the time only the second case of hairy cell leukemia to be treated at the Mayo Clinic. It wasn’t unusual to hear the phrase “the miracle of the Mayo Clinic” around the Grannes home.
In the final hours of his life, it was evident that Gordon had his priorities in place. Spiritual healing trumped physical healing and he paid more heed to visits from the chaplains than the doctors. When his voice failed, he communicated his love to his family with eyes that shone and winked.
He will be greatly missed by his loving wife Lavon; Steven and Sally; Tom and Gini; Paul and Judy; Bruce and Elaine; his grandchildren Sarah Grannes and fiancé Jason Cobb; Emily and Christopher Allen; Jeffrey and Julia Grannes; Daniel Grannes and fiancée Michelle Spivey; Trey Grannes; Wyatt Grannes; and his great grandchildren Marla, Winston and Benjamin. Privileged to have shared his life are his step grandchildren Sara and Nathan Becker and their children; James and Crystal Dvorak and their children, Rob and Michelle Dvorak and their children; Jeff and Maggie Barlow; Justin and Annie Barlow; Josh Barlow; and Alexandria, Kaily and Anna Viergutz.
He is also survived by his brothers and sister Alden, Burton (Shirley), Murial (Philip), Charles (Judy), Melvin (Kay), sister in law Pat (Orland) and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Ole and Inga, his brother Orland and sisters in law Leona and Joann.
Memorials preferred to be distributed by the family in Gordon’s honor.
Visitation will be Thursday, June 8, 5-7 pm at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation, Shakopee. Celebration of life service will be on Friday, June 9th, 11:00 am, Cross of Peace Lutheran Church, Shakopee. Gordon will be laid to rest at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis.
