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William L. Grandia. Lt. Cdr. USN, Ret., Bill Grandia died on Thursday, February 24, 2005, at his home following a long illness. Cdr. Grandia was born in Leighton, IA on December 5, 1912 to Jacob and Ethel Tener Grandia and spent his early years as the son of a farming family. When the Depression caused his family to lose their farm, he left college and joined the Navy. His first enlistment was served aboard the battleship USS Arizona, a ship for which he always had great affection. He returned to Iowa at the end of his first enlistment but missed the Navy life and reenlisted when the emergency build up began after the Second World War broke out in Europe. While serving on the cruiser USS Louisville he answered a call for volunteers to enter a special force for training in Explosives Disposal and Weapons Intelligence. Following training in Washington, DC he was assigned to a unit based in Brisbane, Australia which served the growing Pacific offensive forces. While on duty with an Army unit in New Guinea he was notified of his commission as an Ensign. He was then assigned to the cruiser USS Oklahoma City, which left Philadelphia to join the Pacific Fleet in April of 1945. After the war ended, Cdr. Grandia made the Navy his career, serving on USS Mindoro and with inspection units in the nuclear program. He retired from the Navy in 1958. During his tour of training duty in Washington, DC he had met and married Catherine Wright, then an officer in the Waves. After his retirement the family settled in Albuquerque, where he had been stationed with the NAU unit at Sandia Base and where their youngest child had been born. Cdr. Grandia was employed at the ACF Industries plant for the following ten years, and later with the Laser Lab at Kirkland Air Force Base. He was also employed at H & R Block on a part-time basis for twenty-five years. At the age of 60 he completed his B.A. Degree at UNM in business. During his active years in Albuquerque he served on the Board of Trustees of First Congregational Church, on the Board of Directors of the Storehouse, and on the 4-H Building Corporation. He was a Boy Scout assistant leader with Troop 2 in the North Valley, a 4-H leader with the Riverside 4-H Club, and an Honorary member of the Friends of the Rio Grande Nature Center. He was a very active member of the First Congregational Church committee which originated the project that became Manzano del Sol Good Samaritan Village. Cdr. Grandia is survived by his wife of 59 years, Catherine W. Grandia; son, Cdr. David J. Grandia of Vaughn, WA; son, Jacob W. Grandia of Albuquerque and wife, Cheryl; daughter, Rebecca J. Gibson of Lindrith, NM and husband David; nine grandchildren; several step-grandchildren; his sister, Willa Mae Haughee of Puyallup, WA; and numerous nieces and nephews. Services will be held Monday, 11:00 a.m., First Congregational Church, 2801 Lomas NE. Interment will take place at 2:00 p.m., at Santa Fe National Cemetery, Santa Fe, NM. Friends may visit French Mortuary, University Chapel on Sunday, February 27, 2005, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, those who wish may make a donation to the 4-H Building Corporation, 1510 Menaul Blvd. NW, in Bill's name. French Mortuary 1111 University Blvd. NE 843-6333
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