Grinhaug, Carl William "Skip" 1937 - 2023

GRINHAUG, PITTELKO, SCANLON, TODDIE, BLUCHER, BROWN, PERKINS, HEDRICK, HRUSKA, RAMANAUSKAS, SCANLON, TODDIE

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/22/2024 at 16:07:27

Carl William "Skip" Grinhaug passed away at the Gunderson Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, WI on Tuesday, May 16, 2023.

Carl William “Skip” Grinhaug was born on a farm south of Cresco on September 22nd, 1937. After graduating from the Cresco High School in 1955, Skip worked for the Old Milwaukee Railroad, then moved to the Chicago area and worked at a box factory. He later took a job at an appliance store which was the beginning of a career in appliance repair.

Skip was drafted into the U.S. Army on 01-17-1961 and served until honorably discharged on 01-16-1963. Skip spent all of his service in the United States, most of it at Fort Campbell Kentucky, until his discharge. On 08-03-1963, Skip married Rochelle Blucher. The couple had two children Bob (Robert) and Renee, but they later divorced.

During this time Skip and a friend, Don “Dino” Massimo, formed a partnership and had their own business,

D&S Appliance. After several years the partnership dissolved and Skip worked at an electrical factory for a short time. During this time he met Bonnie Brown and the two were married in 1970. They had two children also, Shannon and David, and the couple later divorced.

Skip started working at Abbott Laboratories in 1976 and retired there as a maintenance supervisor in 2000. He had perfect attendance for the last 23 years of his duties at Abbott, and was very proud of that. After retirement, Skip sold his house in Zion Illinois, and bought a new Ford F-350 diesel, a new 5th wheel RV, and spent the next 13 years on the road. He lived in 49 states during that time, spending most of the winters in Texas. When asked why he only lived in 49 states, his reply was “the RV didn’t float”.

In 2012, his son Bob signed him up for membership in American Legion Post 135, after his move back to Cresco. Skip helped with numerous post functions, including Honor Guards at veteran’s funerals. For the last couple of years he could be seen wearing his small black trademark hat, a Stingy Brimmed Fedora”, (specifically identified by Dr. Paul Jensen) that the ladies were so fond of.

Skip is survived by his son Robert (Kim) Grinhaug of Rochester, MN, Renee (Rex) Perkins of Burlington, CO, Shannon (Chris) Hedrick of Zion, IL and David (Erin) Grinhaug of Union Grove, WI; 13 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren and siblings Marie (Lavern) Hruska, Waterloo, IA; Susan Ramanauskas of Cresco and Mark Grinhaug (Kathy) of Cresco, IA. Survivors also include numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Alvina (Pittelko) Grinhaug, maternal and paternal grandparents, brothers in law Jim Scanlon & Lee Ramanauskas, a niece, Monica Toddie, a grandson Gage Hedrick, a brother Ben Grinhaug and sister Inger Scanlon.

Source: Lindstrom Funeral Home database