John R. Grinde

John was born in 1950 in Whitefish to Robert and Leora Grinde (Akey). John was joined by brother Ed and sister Chris. The family moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, in the mid-’50s to follow Rob's career as an aspiring dispatch executive and soon to be senior executive with the Great Northern Railroad. An injury at birth left John with a lifelong handicap that led to an interesting life journey that included annual vacations to the family cabin on their beloved Whitefish Lake.

In the late 1980s John relocated to the Flathead Valley and with the help of family, friends and Flathead Industries and led a successful semi-independent life.

John never met a person he couldn't befriend, and his loyalty was unwavering. He had a lifelong passion for fishing and, as one might expect, was an accomplished storyteller!

John passed away on Dec. 2, 2020, after a brief illness that was aggravated by COVID-19.

He is survived by his brother Ed and wife Carol, and sister Chris and her husband Brian. Several nieces and nephews and a great number of cousins also survive.

A special thank you goes out to the Liberty Apartment crew as well. John was a special person in so many ways to so many of us.

Cremation has taken place and internment will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 28, at the Whitefish Cemetery.