Harry Alden Grout Jr.

Inurnment will be at the Calvary Cemetery with Military Honors provided by OURCQ Post #117, Corning American Legion. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the American Heart Association. Harry Alden Grout Jr. was born in Denver, Colorado on May 5, 1925. He was the fifth child of Harry Alden Grout Sr. and Mary Isabel Grout. He was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records as being the fifth child born to his parents, on the fifth floor of the hospital, on the fifth day of the fifth month of the year 1925. He attended St. Catherine's grade school in Denver, Colorado and graduated in 1938. Afterwards, he attended Regis Jesuit High School and graduated with the Class of 1942. One of his greatest interests in life was automobiles. He was thrilled at his first teenage job, parking cars at a downtown parking garage. This was the only high-rise parking garage at this time in Denver. The family enjoyed going down and watching Harry drive up and down the ramps, parking cars. When World War II started, Harry entered the Army Corp of Engineers. Harry was eventually stationed on Guam, where he was constructing air-strips. During this time, Harry was fortunate to meet his older brother, Joe, who was temporarily stationed on Guam and was headed for Okinawa, Japan. It was very unusual for the brothers to make that connection during a time of war. Harry served in the Army Corp of Engineers until the end of WW II and arrived back in the United States in 1946. After the War, Harry worked as an assistant draftsman with his brother Joe at the Mine and Smelter Co., located in Denver, Colorado. He took special courses at the School of Mines for drafting. He eventually was an instructor as well, at the School of Mines in Denver, Colorado. Harry married Margaret Ann Bridgeman in Denver, Colorado in 1947. From this union, they had six children: Francis, June, Harry III, John, Charles and Janet. They resided for many years outside of Denver in Broomfield, Colorado. Harry worked in the Mining Equipment field in the Rocky Mountain area as a Salesman for over 20 years, until his retirement. Harry and Margaret moved to Blockton, Iowa in 1986 and bought a small farm where he lived until Margaret died in January of 1991. He then moved to live with his son in Lenox, Iowa. Harry enjoyed doing volunteer work. As a young man, he was involved with the Boy Scouts as a Pack Leader and he was a member of the Knights of Columbus. After moving to Iowa, in his later years, he volunteered to deliver Meals on Wheels. He would call Bingo at the Corning Nursing & Rehab Center and he was also Treasurer at the Congregate Meal Site. He enjoyed going to the meal site and meeting people and to talk about the older times. Harry married Alice Bridgeman in September 1991 and then moved to Loveland, Colorado for a year. In 1993 they moved back to Corning, Iowa to reside. Harry loved to play Pinochle and played until his eyesight got bad. Harry liked to listen to the tapes he received from the Iowa Department of the Blind. Harry is survived by his wife, Alice Grout of Corning; four sons: Frank (Ruth) Grout of Berthoud, Colorado, Harry (Susan) Grout III of Loveland, Colorado, John Grout of Denver, Colorado and Charles (Olga) Grout of Pearsall, Texas; daughter, Janet Offerdahl of Berthoud, Colorado; eight grandchildren: Francis (Tammie) Grout, Maryville, Missouri, Leonard Grout, Denver, Colorado, April Kerychuk, Des Moines, Iowa, Jeremiah, Victoria, Elizabeth and Margaret Grout, all of Pearsall, Texas, Maggie Grout, Loveland, Colorado; five great-grandchildren: Dustin, Dominic, Frankie, Felicia Jo and Samantha Grout, all of Maryville, Missouri; three step-children: Dianne (Steve) Kinder, Chillicothe, Missouri, William (Terry) Bridgeman, Chandler, Arizona and Elizabeth (Dale) Motsinger, Marian, Iowa; six step-grandchildren and six step-great-grandchildren; sister, Virginia (Mike) Auer of Denver, Colorado; two brothers: Bill Grout of Denver, Colorado and Joe (Rosemary) Grout of Madison, Wisconsin. Preceded in death by his parents, first wife Margaret Grout in 1991; daughter, June; two sisters: Evelyn and Peachie; brother, Tommy Grout; brother-in-law, John Bridgeman and his mother and father-in-law: Elizabeth and James Bridgeman.