Gordon Russell Gronning

GRONNING,
Gordon Russell

June 26, 1926 -
July 2, 2011

Gordon Russell Gronning died unexpectedly of natural causes at his home in Airway Heights Saturday, July 2. He was with his wife, Evelyn, and son, Jon. He was 85.
Gordon was known as a compassionate man who always had time to help others. Whether it was to pass on some bit of horse knowledge, assist a neighbor or provide help with a car problem, he enjoyed sharing his time and expertise with people.
Mark Langenheder was just a teenager when he and Gordon started working cattle together in the late1970s. "He was one of the biggest influences on my life," said Langenheder. "I really value the time we spent together."
Gordon was born June 26, 1926 on the family homestead near Alpha, North Dakota, the youngest of six children of Jens and Gurine Gronning. Gordon and his brother, Neil, were quite a bit younger than the other brothers and sister. Gordon remembers a happy childhood.
They attended school in a one room school house in Alpha, North Dakota. They rode horseback. After graduating eighth grade, most of the Gronning family moved to Washington state, including 15-year-old Gordon. He worked for area farmers then moved to Spokane, where he got a job at what was then known as Geiger Field in 1943. He was drafted into the Army shortly after, serving from 1944-46, traveling to Japan. After the war, he returned to Spokane and resumed work at Fairchild, as Geiger Field was now known.
When the Korean War started, he joined the U.S. Navy Reserves, and served another hitch. Gordon came back to Spokane after his Navy service. He married his long time sweetheart Evelyn Redington in a televised wedding on Jan. 23, 1954. They soon moved to a small house in Four Lakes. The house had no plumbing at first, so Gordon took some time off work and installed it. The children started coming soon after. Donald was born in November 1954, followed by Douglas in March 1957. The family moved to another home in 1958. Debra and Jon were born in January 1961, while the family was living at the home on 49th Ave., just outside Spokane.
Gordon had horses ever since he was a kid. He started training horses back in North Dakota and kept it up when he moved to Washington. He expanded into shoeing horses. He also took up rodeo, competing for years as a calf roper on the local rodeo circuit. He was involved in the creation of what was then the Washington Rodeo Association, now known as Pro-West. He was elected by his peers to represent the calf ropers. Gordon started team roping as soon as the sport started in the northwest. He won and placed at about every little rodeo in the northwest. He competed as a team roper into his late seventies. Many of his most cherished wins came roping with his son, Doug.
He continued to work as a heavy equipment operator at Fairchild as the young family grew. Among other things, he plowed snow from runways in the winter. He was also called to Mount Spokane twice to recover crashed aircraft and received a commendation from the base commander for his work. Gordon retired from Fairchild in 1971 after 38 years of service. It was then he began the second phase of his life.
By this time, the Gronnings were living at the Hallett Road place near Spokane. In 1975 they built a new home on the south 40 acres. Gordon continued horse training and shoeing, working out of a new barn he constructed with his teenage son, Jon. Never one to remain idle, Gordon started caring for cattle for area ranchers and took a part time job driving a school bus for the Cheney School District.
The Gronnings sold their place in 2006 and moved to an apartment in Airway Heights. Gordon and Evelyn enjoyed gambling and traveled to Nevada a couple times a year, in addition to gaming at the nearby Northern Quest Casino.
Gordon had enjoyed playing poker for years so it was a small step for him to start playing in the Texas Hold --Em games. They also enjoyed going to the senior center at the Northeast Community Center. Both Gordon and Evelyn had bowled when they were younger, so it was a natural progression to bowling on the Wii computer. Gordon was especially known for being able to close out games with three strikes.
His family was the most important thing in his life. He and Evelyn did just about everything together and really enjoyed each other's company. His children had no doubt that he was proud of them and loved them.
Gordon was preceded in death by his sister, Louise; his sister, Josephine; his brother, Bud; his brother, Bus; and his parents, Jens and Gurine Gronning.
His survived by his wife, Evelyn of Spokane; son, Don Gronning of Spokane; son and daughter in law, Doug and Diane Gronning of Spokane; son, Jon Gronning of Spokane; daughter, Debra Gronning of Burien; brother and sister-in-law, Neil and Marie Gronning of Tacoma; grandchildren, Troy and Barbara Robertson of Spokane Valley and Heidi Robertson of Spokane, great grandchildren Cole, Turner and Trent, along with numerous nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, July 23, at from 1-5 p.m. at the North Side Dance Center at 7424 N. Freya in Spokane. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Lilac Blind Foundation.
Spokane Cremation and Funeral Service, Spokane, WA