- Janesville Gazette
Donald Ray “Don” Grade, 71, of Janesville, WI, died Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009, in the UW Hospital, Madison, after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. He was born in Janesville on Aug. 25, 1937, son of George and Iris Cookson Grade. Don was a 1956 graduate of Beloit Memorial High School. After graduation he joined the Marine Corps, and after returning from the service, he was employed by JCPenney in Beloit.
Don later attended Blackhawk Technical College for Fire Science. In 1967 he joined the Beloit Fire Department and became a lieutenant, retiring in 1990. He married Susan Estrem Orr on Dec. 29, 1979, in Atonement Lutheran Church, Beloit. Don and his wife, Susan, were also co-owners of Grade’s Greenery in rural Janesville for 20 years. He enjoyed fishing, working in the greenhouse, woodworking, and building clocks. Don was a member of the Retired Fire Fighters Association and Atonement Lutheran Church.
Survivors include his wife,[HID:]Susan Grade of Janesville; his children, Kathleen (Gene) Dassow and Susan (James) Waters, both of Beloit;[:HID]the mother of his children,[HID:]Mary Knueppel of Beloit;[:HID]grandchildren[HID:]: Forrest, Tyler, and Caleb Dassow, Zachary and Dustin Anderson[:HID]; stepgrandchildren[HID:]: Brandon Dassow, Nicholas (Deanna) Dassow, Adam Dassow, and Misty Waters[:HID]; brother,[HID:]Douglas (Susan) Grade of New Berlin, WI;[:HID]sister-in-law,[HID:]Betty Lawson of Texas;[:HID] brothers-in-law,[HID:]Gary (Eunice) Estrem and Harlan (Donna) Estrem, both of Minnesota;[:HID] several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; grandson, Duane Anderson; brother, George Grade; in-laws, Edwin and Gilma Estrem; and brother-in-law, Edwin Estrem Jr.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, March 2, 2009, at the ATONEMENT LUTHERAN CHURCH, 901 Harrison Ave., Beloit, with Reverend Tina Koenig Ray officiating. Burial will be in East Lawn Cemetery, with a Fire Fighter Bell Ceremony and Military Rites accorded by the Marine Corps. Visitation will be from 4 until 7 p.m. Sunday in the DALEY MURPHY WISCH & ASSOCIATES FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORIUM, 2355 Cranston Rd., Beloit. Visitation will also be on Monday in the CHURCH from 10 a.m. until the time of service. Memorials may be given in his name to Atonement Lutheran Church or the American Cancer Society. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.daleymurphywisch.com
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1937 - 2009 (71 years)
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