My grandfather, John August Grabbe, age 89, passed away March 17, 2023 in Springdale, Arkansas.
He was born to Mabel Grabbe (maiden Carson) and August "Gus" Grabbe on December 6, 1933. He was an only child until the age of 18 when the family welcomed a daughter, Carol Ann. He grew up on the Grand Prairie, considered to be the "Rice and Duck Capitol of the World", and an area to which he was deeply connected throughout his life.
At age 18, he moved to Russellville, Arkansas, and attended Arkansas Tech University before entering the military, where he completed Naval Flight Training to become a Marine Corps Fighter Pilot. After completing four years of active duty, he continued his education at the U of A – Fayetteville, earning a BS degree in Agronomy. He stayed in the Marine Corps Active Reserves until 1965, obtaining the rank of Major. On one of his training flights, he was accompanied by Astronaut John Glenn.
During this time, he met his wife, Betty Allison, and her two young children, Mike, and Laura, whom he adopted. They moved to DeWitt, Arkansas, another small farming community on the Grand Prairie, and had another son, David. Their marriage lasted for over 61 years.
John was affiliated with Production Credit in DeWitt before taking a management position at Smith Rice Mill, which later became Pioneer Foods, and then a division of the Pillsbury Company. After Producers purchased Pioneer Foods, he and Betty moved to Stuttgart where he became Vice-President of Operations.
John enjoyed building projects and created a beautiful, rustic fence for the family home in DeWitt. He also enjoyed fishing and golfing and loved nothing more than driving the backroads of the surrounding farmland, viewing the many acres of the rice and soybean crops.
He loved to travel, especially by plane, and visited destinations all over the world, many time with his wife, Betty by his side. He had the privilege and excitement of flying on the Concord to Paris, France, the first leg of a round-the-world trip.
He is survived by his wife, Betty, three children: son, Michael (wife, Brenda), daughter Laura, and son David (wife Susie) and sister Carol Ann (husband, Rick). He had four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Obituary written by his daughter (my aunt), Laura Leigh Grabbe.
He was born to Mabel Grabbe (maiden Carson) and August "Gus" Grabbe on December 6, 1933. He was an only child until the age of 18 when the family welcomed a daughter, Carol Ann. He grew up on the Grand Prairie, considered to be the "Rice and Duck Capitol of the World", and an area to which he was deeply connected throughout his life.
At age 18, he moved to Russellville, Arkansas, and attended Arkansas Tech University before entering the military, where he completed Naval Flight Training to become a Marine Corps Fighter Pilot. After completing four years of active duty, he continued his education at the U of A – Fayetteville, earning a BS degree in Agronomy. He stayed in the Marine Corps Active Reserves until 1965, obtaining the rank of Major. On one of his training flights, he was accompanied by Astronaut John Glenn.
During this time, he met his wife, Betty Allison, and her two young children, Mike, and Laura, whom he adopted. They moved to DeWitt, Arkansas, another small farming community on the Grand Prairie, and had another son, David. Their marriage lasted for over 61 years.
John was affiliated with Production Credit in DeWitt before taking a management position at Smith Rice Mill, which later became Pioneer Foods, and then a division of the Pillsbury Company. After Producers purchased Pioneer Foods, he and Betty moved to Stuttgart where he became Vice-President of Operations.
John enjoyed building projects and created a beautiful, rustic fence for the family home in DeWitt. He also enjoyed fishing and golfing and loved nothing more than driving the backroads of the surrounding farmland, viewing the many acres of the rice and soybean crops.
He loved to travel, especially by plane, and visited destinations all over the world, many time with his wife, Betty by his side. He had the privilege and excitement of flying on the Concord to Paris, France, the first leg of a round-the-world trip.
He is survived by his wife, Betty, three children: son, Michael (wife, Brenda), daughter Laura, and son David (wife Susie) and sister Carol Ann (husband, Rick). He had four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Obituary written by his daughter (my aunt), Laura Leigh Grabbe.
My grandfather, John August Grabbe, age 89, passed away March 17, 2023 in Springdale, Arkansas.
He was born to Mabel Grabbe (maiden Carson) and August "Gus" Grabbe on December 6, 1933. He was an only child until the age of 18 when the family welcomed a daughter, Carol Ann. He grew up on the Grand Prairie, considered to be the "Rice and Duck Capitol of the World", and an area to which he was deeply connected throughout his life.
At age 18, he moved to Russellville, Arkansas, and attended Arkansas Tech University before entering the military, where he completed Naval Flight Training to become a Marine Corps Fighter Pilot. After completing four years of active duty, he continued his education at the U of A – Fayetteville, earning a BS degree in Agronomy. He stayed in the Marine Corps Active Reserves until 1965, obtaining the rank of Major. On one of his training flights, he was accompanied by Astronaut John Glenn.
During this time, he met his wife, Betty Allison, and her two young children, Mike, and Laura, whom he adopted. They moved to DeWitt, Arkansas, another small farming community on the Grand Prairie, and had another son, David. Their marriage lasted for over 61 years.
John was affiliated with Production Credit in DeWitt before taking a management position at Smith Rice Mill, which later became Pioneer Foods, and then a division of the Pillsbury Company. After Producers purchased Pioneer Foods, he and Betty moved to Stuttgart where he became Vice-President of Operations.
John enjoyed building projects and created a beautiful, rustic fence for the family home in DeWitt. He also enjoyed fishing and golfing and loved nothing more than driving the backroads of the surrounding farmland, viewing the many acres of the rice and soybean crops.
He loved to travel, especially by plane, and visited destinations all over the world, many time with his wife, Betty by his side. He had the privilege and excitement of flying on the Concord to Paris, France, the first leg of a round-the-world trip.
He is survived by his wife, Betty, three children: son, Michael (wife, Brenda), daughter Laura, and son David (wife Susie) and sister Carol Ann (husband, Rick). He had four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Obituary written by his daughter (my aunt), Laura Leigh Grabbe.
He was born to Mabel Grabbe (maiden Carson) and August "Gus" Grabbe on December 6, 1933. He was an only child until the age of 18 when the family welcomed a daughter, Carol Ann. He grew up on the Grand Prairie, considered to be the "Rice and Duck Capitol of the World", and an area to which he was deeply connected throughout his life.
At age 18, he moved to Russellville, Arkansas, and attended Arkansas Tech University before entering the military, where he completed Naval Flight Training to become a Marine Corps Fighter Pilot. After completing four years of active duty, he continued his education at the U of A – Fayetteville, earning a BS degree in Agronomy. He stayed in the Marine Corps Active Reserves until 1965, obtaining the rank of Major. On one of his training flights, he was accompanied by Astronaut John Glenn.
During this time, he met his wife, Betty Allison, and her two young children, Mike, and Laura, whom he adopted. They moved to DeWitt, Arkansas, another small farming community on the Grand Prairie, and had another son, David. Their marriage lasted for over 61 years.
John was affiliated with Production Credit in DeWitt before taking a management position at Smith Rice Mill, which later became Pioneer Foods, and then a division of the Pillsbury Company. After Producers purchased Pioneer Foods, he and Betty moved to Stuttgart where he became Vice-President of Operations.
John enjoyed building projects and created a beautiful, rustic fence for the family home in DeWitt. He also enjoyed fishing and golfing and loved nothing more than driving the backroads of the surrounding farmland, viewing the many acres of the rice and soybean crops.
He loved to travel, especially by plane, and visited destinations all over the world, many time with his wife, Betty by his side. He had the privilege and excitement of flying on the Concord to Paris, France, the first leg of a round-the-world trip.
He is survived by his wife, Betty, three children: son, Michael (wife, Brenda), daughter Laura, and son David (wife Susie) and sister Carol Ann (husband, Rick). He had four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Obituary written by his daughter (my aunt), Laura Leigh Grabbe.
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