Obituary for Geoff Grong

Geoffrey David Grong, 67, passed away Thursday, April 19, 2018 in the hospital due to heart failure.

Geoff was born on October 7, 1950, in Redwood Falls, MN to LeRoy and Margaret Mary Grong (Becker). His parents later divorced, and he and his sister lived in MN with his maternal grandparents and mother until her death in 1966. The siblings then went to live with their father and step-mother, Shirley, at Edwards AFB, CA. His father had a career in the Air Force so the family moved often. Geoff graduated from high school in Aurora, CO and joined the Navy, serving until 1972.

After the Navy, Geoff moved to Brookings, SD where he married Cheryl McClemans in May of 1973. The couple had a son, Matthew, and later divorced. Geoff worked at Larson Mfg.

In 1982, Geoff attended Wadena Tech. College for Telephone Technology, where he met and later married Kay Lynn Hoff in September of 1984, in Minneapolis. They had two children, Eric and Amanda, and later divorced.

In 1997, Geoff graduated from Nursing School to become an LPN and worked in Home Health Care.

In his teenage years he would spend summers with his cousins on his uncle’s dairy farm near Sinai, SD. Geoff enjoyed being with friends and family, as well as serving as Chaplain at the local American Legion.

Geoff was preceded in death by: his mother and father; grandparents, Fred and Evelyn Becker and Lars and Olga Grong; and his favorite uncle, Michael Becker.

He is survived by his three children: Matthew (Brookings, SD), Eric and Amanda (Minneapolis, MN area); his sister, Paula Marie Becker (Brookings, SD); his two grandchildren, Shjon and Sydney; and his step-mother and half-sister, Shirley and Erica (Albuquerque, NM); and his aunt and uncle, Glenn and Bonnie Pierce (Volga, SD area) and cousins, Tom, Jane, and Pam.

Interment at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Thursday, May 10, Assembly Area #2, 10:45 am.

Celebration of Life Saturday, May 12 from 10-12pm at Evans-Nordby Funeral Chapel, 6000 Brooklyn Blvd., Brooklyn Center. Gathering to follow at Brooklyn Center American Legion, 6110 Brooklyn Blvd.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to cover expenses may be sent to his daughter: Amanda Grong, 4237 Grimes Avenue N., Robbinsdale, MN 55422.