- Date Of Birth: June 5, 1935
- Date Of Death: April 10, 2019
- State: Michigan
Ted, 83 years old, passed away at home in Kalamazoo, MI on Wednesday, April 10, 2019 after a brief illness. He is lovingly remembered by Trudy, his wife of almost 60 years, and his children Lorrie Grainger Abdo (Steve), Rob Grainger (Karen), and Lisa Grainger Schermerhorn (Tom). His influence and guidance made a lasting impact on all of his grandchildren: Aaron, Claire, and Alicia Abdo; Alex and Lauren Grainger; and Samantha, Michael, and Sara Schermerhorn. His sister, Betty, and her family also held a special place in his heart. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother, sister, niece, and much-loved granddaughter Taylor Grainger.
Ted was born in Grand Rapids, MI on June 5, 1935 to Robert and Irene Grainger. Twelve years younger than his sister, he was a welcome surprise. He graduated from Ottawa Hills High School in 1953 and was a proud member of the school’s basketball team and state championship golf team. After two years at Grand Rapids Junior College, where he played basketball and added another state golf title to his name, he continued on to Western Michigan University. He joined the TKE fraternity and graduated in 1957 with a B.B.A. in Accounting. Ted then joined the Upjohn Company where he worked for 38 years until his retirement in 1994 as a Director at Upjohn International, taking pride in receiving the William E. Upjohn Award in 1972. He embraced many worldwide friendships while travelling to over 50 countries during his career and he deeply valued his relationships with his local Upjohn colleagues long after retirement. His family found humor in his travel stories, including the tale of his first international flight in 1959 which was a long trip on a very slow propeller plane to Australia.
Upon retirement Ted kept very busy with family, golf, endless projects, Board responsibilities, and volunteering as a tax consultant. He was continuously researching financial matters and appreciated a good conversation on these subjects. Tax and investment guidance for family and friends was a favorite hobby, and he was well respected for his integrity in all aspects of his life.
Ted and Trudy were married on June 27, 1959. His wife and family meant the world to him. With Trudy by his side, he seldom missed watching his children play their various sports at Portage Central and in college and enjoyed celebrating their successes on and off the field. He would often be in the bleachers proudly cheering on his grandchildren. He was a problem solver and self-taught “do-it-yourselfer” taking pride in doing the job right. He was always working on something; from building houses, to huge landscaping efforts, to Long Lake (Traverse City) and South Haven projects, he truly enjoyed and believed in sweat equity.
Annual vacations with the Willyard Family on Long Lake since 1967 provide treasured memories. Beyond typical lake activities like sailing, skiing, and fishing, Ted was known for hitting golf balls off the dock, enjoying hours on the trusty “putt-putt” rowboat with the kids and grandkids, initiating family treasure hunts through the woods, and eating Michigan corn on the cob. Recollections of time spent on Marco Island, FL with family and friends since the mid-1980s are special as well.
As a life-long golfer he won many tournaments and over the past 10 years frequently shot his age. Playing multiple times a week, he never did sink that elusive hole-in-one which always gave him a goal for the following season. He valued his relationships with his many golf friends. And somehow, through the years the Pistons, Lions, and Tigers remained his favorite teams.
Ted firmly believed in education. The Walk Tall Foundation for Kids is a 501(c)(3) charity created in memory of Taylor Grainger. It supports continuing education through scholarship programs for local high school students.
