Van Grinsven, Charles (1942-2016)
VAN GRINSVEN, BRAFF, WHISKER, JACOBSON
Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 5/23/2016 at 18:46:33
Charles Van Grinsven
January 2, 1942 - April 14, 2016Charles Albert Van Grinsven, 74, of Forest City, Iowa, formerly of Minot, North Dakota, died peacefully, surrounded by his family and welcomed by his Savior on Thursday, April 14, 2016, at Mercy Medical Center in Mason City, Iowa.
Charles was born on January 2, 1942, in Onamia, Minnesota, to John Peter and Gladys Violet (Braff) Van Grinsven. He graduated from Minot High School in 1960 and married his hometown sweetheart, Diane Whisker.
Throughout his life, Charles was a maker and a planner. As a young boy, he built a tree fort so elaborate that the fire department cited him for violating several building codes. This experience, however, did not prevent him later in life from sending away for architectural plans and building a (fully compliant) two-story home for his family.
Charles had a penchant for creatively restoring old cars. Working at a service station as a teenager, he mounted an Oldsmobile engine in a Ford body and would, then, cruise around town in his “Olds-Ord.” Later, he refurbished the rusted shell of a Ford Model T to full working “street-rod” condition. Where others saw only an old bread van, Charles saw a future family camper he would renovate and take on vacation.
More fancifully, he constructed and operated a mini-golf course, designing each of Polly Putter’s 18 holes with crafty ingenuity. In addition, he built a pontoon boat which he affectionately named “Little Diane”.
In his professional live, Charles worked for the Montana Dakota Utilities Company for twenty-five years, acquiring many skills in various positions. In 1988, one of these skills brought him to Groton, Connecticut, where he joined General Dynamics in building the Seawolf-class nuclear submarines. Finally returning to the Midwest in 1996 and settling in Forest City, Iowa, he worked at SIMCO before retiring in 2004.
Above all these inventive accomplishments, Charles will be remembered for his contagious sense of humor, kind heart, pride in his children and grandchildren, and love for his wife, Diane.
Charles is survived by Diane, his wife of fifty-two years; their four children and their spouses: Michael and Beth Van Grinsven, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, David and Mary Van Grinsven, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Jeffrey and Angela Van Grinsven, of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Penelope Van Grinsven and Alex Coppock, of New York, New York; and twelve grandchildren, all living in the Midwest; his two siblings and their spouses: John and Barbara Van Grinsven, of Minot, North Dakota, and Eileen and Keith Jacobson, of Spokane, Washington; and his aunt, Clara May Hartung, of Crosby, Minnesota, as well as by many loving nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Charles is preceded in death by his father, John Van Grinsven, his mother, Gladys Van Grinsven, and his aunt, June Braff.
Funeral Service: 10:00 a.m. Monday, April 25, 2016, at the Thomas Family Funeral Home with Rev. Luther C. Hanson officiating.
Interment: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot, North Dakota
Visitation: Friends and family will be received for visitation at the Thomas Funeral Home, 304 Main Street South, Minot, North Dakota on Sunday, April 24th from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m.Copyright © 2016, Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot, North Dakota
Winnebago Obituaries maintained by Cheryl Siebrass.
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