Ronald Granroth

Obituary of Ronald Alvin Granroth Written by Ronald Granroth in March 2006Ronald Alvin Granroth was born on June 21, 1944 in Calumet, MI in the C&H Hospital, the seventh ofseven children. His parents were Alfred and Siiri (Alatalo) Granroth. They were the children of Finnishimmigrants: father a copper miner, mother a homemaker. Rons father served in infantry and militarypolice, receiving wounds in the Meuse-Argonne campaign. His mother went to work after third grade,his father graduated from eighth grade.Ron attended the Calumet Public School system. He was a mediocre high school student who graduatedin 1962 at the age of 17. He was involved in ROTC at Calumet High School in the drill team and was amajor when he graduated.Ron was 15 when his father died after suffering with emphysema. He had worked underground for 30years and had been subjected to poisoned gas in WWI. This had a deep impression on Ron. His fatherslove of country and patriotism was contagious and was probably the reason Ron joined the Army shortlyafter high school. He was recruited into the Army Intelligence Service in 1962 because of his test scores.After receiving training in communications and cryptography, he served first at a garrison intelligencegathering post, and then at a clandestine international gathering post in Europe, at time immediatelyfollowing the Cuban Missile Crisis and during the Berlin Missile Crisis, one of the hottest periods of theCold War. It was while serving at the clandestine site that his recognition and appreciation of educationlit up. The average education of the people he worked with was a masters degree. During this time, hishorizons broadened about people, politics, the world, the arts, though relationships, travel, cuisine,history, and music.He left the service in 1965 and eventually went to work for the AT&T Company in Detroit, MI. After sixmonths, he received a conditional promotion to become a systems analyst for a digital computerswitching system that was part of the militarys communication network. The condition was that hefinish in the top ten percent in a series of schools to prepare him for the work. This took over a year. Tohis delight, the promotion was to an office in Iron Mountain, MI – back in the U.P. While in IronMountain, he travelled extensively to communication planning meetings – joint U.S. government andAT&T, in addition to attending more schools and passing on knowledge to coworkers.In 1970, he received a promotion and was assigned to Bell Labs as a software engineering consultant–another learning experience among bright, multi-talented people. It was a thrill for him to have someof his writing published for the first time.In the summer of 1969, he was introduced to and fell in love with Donna. They were married at the endof February in 1970 and Donna joined him in Illinois. In the fall, they were expecting their first child andknew they didnt want to raise children in the city. So, they started working their way back to the U.P. byaccepting a position in Stevens Point, WI with AT&T.It was during this time that he contemplated a change in career. Shortly after the birth of his first son, heaccepted a position as agent for the Prudential Insurance Company in the Ontonagon, MI area. Thetransition from computer systems analyst to insurance salesman was relatively easy. Although heenjoyed the independence of running his own business, after two years he accepted a position as thePrudential sales manager in the Copper Country area.2When he accepted this position, he made a pact with himself that he would have it for no more thanfive years. By then, he would have decided whether to move up the corporate ranks with the PrudentialCompany or would have set up his own professional practice. In order to prepare for either event, hestarted taking courses with the American College to obtain his professional degree in insurance andfinance. During this time, in addition to leading a staff of eight agents, he also became involved in hislocal professional association, the Copper Country Association of Life Underwriters. During this time, hewas elected and served through all the offices in his local association. He also made several trips toLansing to represent the local association at the state level and a number of visits to the capitol todiscuss issues of local concern with our state legislators.Understanding that moving on with the Prudential Company would mean a return to the city, and withhis college work completed, he started I.F.P. Associates (Insurance and Financial Planning Associates). Ittook several years of very hard work to establish the business. By 1982, the now-established businesshad attained a reputation of excellent service, integrity, and professional competence.In May of 1982, the Michigan Association of Life Underwriters asked Ron to serve as their regional vicepresident for the Upper Peninsula. For the next two years, he conducted leadership workshops for theofficers of five U.P. local associations and occasionally appeared as guest speaker at their monthlymeetings. In 1984, he was nominated for the position of secretary-treasurer for the MichiganAssociation of Life Underwriters, a position which meant automatic progression to president-elect andthen president of the Michigan Life Underwriters. This was the first time that someone from the UpperPeninsula was accorded this honor. Of course, with honor comes a great deal of work. Fortunately, thebusiness had an outstanding staff and was flourishing. The commitment of time for association workinvolved about a month away from home and office as secretary, two months as president elect, andfour months as president.On completion of his presidency, he served as immediate past-president and chairman of the FieldPractices and Ethics Committee. He was also elected to serve as chairman of the Michigan LifeUnderwriters Political Action Committee (LUPAC). During this period, starting with the year of hispresidency, he made several trips to Washington D.C. and Lansing to meet with United States and statelawmakers and to testify on behalf of the Michigan State Association at committee hearings.In July of 1991, everything changed. After fighting the effects of severe and progressively debilitatingpain for 21 years, his system broke down. On the 4 th of July, he was initially unable to walk from theliving room to the kitchen, his resting pulse was 125, his blood pressure was dangerously high. He hadlost the ability to read, he had lost half of his vocabulary, along with other cognitive failure. Heremembered confusion and panic, and nobody knew why. Specialists at the Marshfield Clinic and theMayo Clinic in Minnesota were baffled. Severe depression set in until September 20, 1992 when hisdisability retirement became official. The sun rose as usual. The world didnt end. He decided to quitwhining about what he couldnt do and instead turn a new page.Lyme disease had been suspected and discounted because of negative test results. Then, in early 1993,his family doctor called to say there was a new test. This time the test came up positive. Althoughprevious tests could have both false positive and false negative results, this test was designed so thatfalse positives were not possible. He had Lyme disease and had had it since 1969, picking it up whilestream fishing in the Iron Mountain area. Treatment started immediately. Nearly two and a half years ofchemotherapy-like antibiotic was the treatment. These treatments caused predictable, regular, andsevere reactions. During the early stages of this treatment, one of his sons friends needed help with3school work. Although in a weakened condition and still with limited cognitive abilities, he invited theboy to come visit. Ron explained that he probably couldnt do the seventh-grade work, but he wouldwork with the boy if the boy promised to work with Ron and they would learn it together. The boypassed seventh grade and continued on to graduate with his class. It proved to be therapeutic for Ron.As areas of the brain that had stopped functioning were reconnected, it was psychologically gratifying tobe able to do something useful once again.Earlier, his son Davin, who suffered from severe asthma, needed a competitive outlet. Ron, who hadenjoyed shooting his BB gun since age 7, started hunting at age 11, shot competitively in high schoolROTC, and qualified with a variety of firearms while with the Army Intelligence Service, would enjoyshooting with Davin and his other sons. With a particular penchant for pistol shooting, Ron enrolledDavin in the National Junior Pistol Camp held in conjunction with the national matches in July of 1990.Davin, who couldnt enjoy basketball or track, fell in love with competitive shooting. With the purchaseof a target pistol and coaching from his dad, plus other competitors, Davin started competing in 1991.By the time he graduated in 1994, he was the fifth-ranked junior pistol shooter in the U.S. and had twicewon a berth on the NRA-USA National Civilian Pistol Team.Ron was beginning to find the next niche in his life, even though it was during this time that he wasundergoing the rigorous Lyme disease treatment. He studied coaching techniques, and the art of thepistol smith. During this time, along with coaching Davin, and with the return of some physical strength,Ron started shooing again – first for therapy and then, with Davins urgings, competition, eventuallybecoming a national-level competitor.Spending a lot of time at the range, Davin and Ron were troubled by the fact that there were never anyother kids. So, with that in mind, the two of them planned and put together the first junior shootingcamp in the U.P. Participants were all kids that they knew. The camp was a success with emphasis onsafety, sportsmanship, and shooting as an athletic event. (There are 15 different shooting events in theOlympics.) Remarkably, out of the first camp emerged a future competitor who Ron worked with andmentored until he, too, was competing at a national level.This first camp has developed into an annual event now at the Ottawa Sportsmans Club and isrecognized nationwide among shooters as one of the best sustained shooting programs in the country. Ithas been covered positively by both the local and state media. After the 1999 shooting camp, Ronpicked up two more potential competitors: his son Ben, and a close friend of Bens, also named Ben. In1999, the two Bens accompanied Ron to the nationals where they were enrolled as range volunteers sothat they could experience the exciting atmosphere of Camp Perry, Ohio, home of the NationalChampionships. Upon returning, two more recent graduates of the shooting camp joined the crew.In 2001, the two Bens were ready for the big match and the boys did very well with friend Ben coming inthe middle of the pack and Rons son coming in 12 th in his class and high junior marksman. The boys alsoshot the team matches, winning the team championship with their fellow shooters on the MRPA(Michigan Rifle and Pistol Association).In 2002, the team grew to seven members. Competing at the nationals, four of the seven finished in thetop ten of their class (against all ages), earning the red jackets and caps of the NRA-USA Pistol Team. Inthe team matches they finished 2 nd in the junior division and took home the trophy for the center-firejunior team championship.4Returning to the nationals in 2003, the team finished 1 st against all ages in their class and swept thejunior division for the national title. In 2004, they repeated their feat as national junior champions. Theyalso took home honors as the 1 st place sharpshooter team (all ages), beating 25 expert teams and onemaster class team in the process. In 2005, having lost the two Bens and another, but adding three newershooters, the boys finished 3 rd place in the junior division.All of this activity working with the boys was both therapeutic and motivating for Ron. They all becamelike family to him, and it was his honor to be able to discuss their hopes and their dreams, their troublesand their triumphs, and to watch them grow into adulthood. He became close with many of them, andthey continued to come visit him, even as adults.Back in 1991, with Davin needing practice in winter, as well as summer, Ron and Davin joined the MTUPistol Club. The MTU students, wondering about this scrawny kid with a big gun box, were amazed whenthey saw his completed targets. When they asked Davin, How did you do that? Davin just pointed tothe back of the room where Ron was sitting and said, Ask my coach. Thus began a wonderfulrelationship with Ron serving as range officer, coach, and armorer for the MTU Pistol Club. Thisrelationship also benefited the junior team. The boys all became members of the Pistol Club, and theclub scheduled exclusive practice time for them.— The former was written by Ronald Granroth in 2006 –Throughout the years, Ron cared about others and helped them to realize their own potential, whetherit was in insurance, shooting, education, or just to better themselves. Thinking outside of himself byhelping others helped him to deal with his pain. Where others may have given up after a mental andphysical collapse, Ron found the tenacity to lift himself out of his depression, rebuild his strength, andrelearn his vocabulary. He was an extraordinary man and he will be missed dearly by many.OBITUARY FROM DAILY MINING GAZZETTEChassell Ronald A. Granroth, 72, a resident of Chassell passed away Friday morning April 7, 2017, at his Home, following a lengthy illness. He was born on June 21, 1944, in Calumet, MI, a son of the late Alfred and Siiri (Alatalo) Granroth. Ron was a graduate of the Calumet High School with the class of 1962. Mr. Granroth was a veteran having served with the United States Army and the Secret Service during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Once he returned to the States he began a career in Insurance On February 28, 1970, he was united in marriage to the former Donna Waara. The couple had resided in Lyle, IL, Stevens Pointe, WI, Mass City, MI and for the past 43 years has made their home in Chassell. Mr. Granroth was a member of the First Apostolic Lutheran Church of Houghton. Preceding him in death were his parents, his siblings, Ruth, Mildred, Floyd, Richard, Paul, and in infancy, David; his granddaughter; Seraphina Granroth and his in-laws: Jack Peterson, John Janssen, Robert Peterson, and Dorothy Granroth. Surviving are: His wife Donna Granroth of Chassell His children: Eric (Jes) Granroth Lisa (Dave) Pollock Davin (Amy) Granroth Catherine (Sam) Sudame Aaron AJ (Krista) Granroth Alan (Lucy) Granroth Benjamin Granroth Peter Granroth His grandchildren: Lila, Eva, Eliina, Isaac, Django, Arvid and Sylvi Numerous nieces, nephews and cousins Funeral services for Ronald will be held 1 pm Wednesday April 12, 2017, at the First Apostolic Lutheran Church of Houghton with David Taivalkoski to officiate. Burial will be in the Chassell Cemetery where the Copper Country Veterans Association will hold Military Honors. Friends may call on Wednesday from 11 am until time of services at the First Apostolic Lutheran Church of Houghton. Ron's family would like to thank Aspirus at Home Hospice Care for their care and compassion in Ron's last days. To read more about Rons life or to send condolences to the family please visit www.memorialchapel.net. The Memorial Chapel & Plowe Funeral Homes of Chassell are assisting the family with the arrangements. To send flowers to the family of Ronald Granroth, please visit Tribute Store