Chapter Eternal - Grun '47 & Griffith '54
We have been honored to call these men our Brothers. The condolences of Theta Chi’s extended worldwide family are offered to the family and friends of our deceased brothers.
It is with great sadness that we report the passing of:
William A. Grun ‘47 - March 25, 2019
Donald J. Griffith ‘54 - September 2019
William A. Grun ‘47 - LaVie Portrait
William Allen Grun ‘47 - Bill Grun was 98 years young. That phrase, “years young,” gets thrown around sometimes when people try to express just how energetic and active someone is at an older age. But in Bill’s case, the terminology is a perfect fit.
You see, Bill was a fixture at Synod School for many, many, many years. He would later work as a construction worker for a day in April of 2018 in celebration of his 98th birthday. A year earlier for his 97th birthday, he rode in a Doylestown Fire Company fire truck and, of course, sounded the siren. At age 96, he made it a goal to complete a bicycle ride of 9.6 miles.
Bill passed away on Monday, March 25, one month shy of his 99th birthday. He was still active at Doylestown Presbyterian Church where he worked with the youth there. He had been employed as a teacher in Doylestown, PA, leading technology and mechanical drawing classes for the last 27 years after originally retiring in 1980 after 34 years of teaching. He was also still a regular volunteer at Kirkwood Camp & Retreat Center in Stroudsburg, PA.
“He was a legend, about any way you want to describe that term,” said the Rev. Dr. John Willingham, the pastor at Doylestown Church. “One of the most remarkable things is that he continued to want to teach.”
John first became acquainted with Bill at Princeton Theological Seminary where John studied alongside Bill’s daughter, Margaret (Grun) Kibben.
“He was taking courses,” John recalled. “There was this determined spirit in him to keep growing. A typical Sunday here he would be physically present in the sanctuary for one service, then he would be teaching a church school class for children or youth, and then he’d come back for the second service to listen again.”
Aside from Margaret, Bill is survived by another daughter, Marylou Elizabeth (Grun) Tangye. Margaret is a retired Chief of Chaplains for the United States Navy Chaplain Corps – the first woman to ever hold that position. Bill was preceded in death by his wife, Jean, who was better known as “Micki.” She passed away in 2009.
John described Bill as a “passionate mission trip person.” He recalled Bill joining the Doylestown Church on a work trip to Mississippi following Hurricane Katrina. That means Bill made the trip while he was in his mid-80s. While Bill wasn’t able to be as hands-on as he would have liked, he did spot a flaw in a roof design and was quick to have changes made.
“Our men were on the roof. He could see that the roof had not been braced properly by previous volunteers,” John recalled. “He called them all off the roof and showed them what they needed to do. He was clearly making a difference, even if he physically could no longer do the work, by drawing on that expertise that he had.”
At Kirkwood Camp, he was known as “Birdhouse” Bill (although he was known to correct you by saying he’s “Bill who builds birdhouses”). Bill was cherished by the camp that is associated with the Philadelphia and Lehigh presbyteries.
“Bill was, by far, our longest tenured volunteer here at Kirkwood, and more than a few times over the years put our ministry on his back to make sure that summer camp would happen,” wrote Tommy Campbell, the director of Kirkwood Camp, on the camp’s Facebook page.
“Bill most recently was known around camp for teaching woodworking every summer during our Joy of Creation Camp but was also a lifelong educator in and out of the church. A WWII veteran, many of us knew Bill for his indomitable will and determination in all phases of his life, but especially later in life as he refused to slow down.
“Bill was a true example of a disciple, and we will miss him greatly. We are grateful not just for his contributions here, but for a life given to servant leadership. Bill, we will miss you – congratulations on a life well lived. Ride your bikes today, everybody.”
Bill was known around the Doylestown area for riding his bicycle. It’s also a memory Mary Speedy from the Presbytery of Carlisle will have of Bill during the days of Synod School.
“He taught a kids class for many years and was a very creative teacher,” Mary recalled. “He appeared grumpy but really was a softy and always ready to laugh with you. I remember he was a biker biking around Bucks County, and I think he brought his bike with him a couple of times to Wilson College.”
Aside from Synod School, Bill also worked with the Synod’s Intensive Teacher Training program for many years, serving both on the committee and helping teach.
As Bill reached his late 90s, he received widespread recognition for his exploits from the local media. Philadelphia television station KYW-3 interviewed him about his lengthy teaching career and he wrapped up the discussion with advice he learned from one of his own teachers.
“Blessed is the man who has found his work,” he said, “and I found mine and so that’s what I say to young people: find something that you love and do it. Don’t exist in a job that you don’t like.”
They’re words Bill certainly lived by.
1940 LaVie Portrait - Top Row L to R: Donald Williams, William Grun, Alfred Heitner, Robert Montgomery, Howard Alter Jr., Warren Meyer, Daniel Burkey, Alvin Dill Jr., H. Ashenfelter, John Taylor, William Gilmore Jr.
Third Row L to R: William Akers, Henry Suppan, Albert Powell, Walter Applegate Jr., Harry Maloney Jr., Daniel Kreider, George Roth, Thomas Harris Jr., Kreveling, Paul Hendwerk
Second Row L to R: Harry Baker, Oscar Booz, John Kelberg, Edward Osterhout, Charles Williams, Robert Seybert, Kern, Harold Wolf, Roland Seeley, Howard Wodock, A. Bradford Owen Jr.
First Row L to R: C. E. French, John Doty, Edmund Geiger, Joseph Flager Jr., Albert Kahn, Robert Parnell, Ellwood Cassel, C. H. Samans, Charles Peters, Francis Doan
1947 LaVie Portrait - Front Row L to R: Gerald Brown, David Doan, George Chapman Jr., Robert Waltenbaugh, Charles Zink Jr., Edward Webb, Howard Bink, William Staley and John Branigan
2nd Row L to R: R. E. Hitchen, William Renton, Walter White, James Burnham, Lester Strickler, Gerald Karver and John Kipfer
3rd Row L to R: Virgil Wall, James Robinson, Michael Horen, Raymond Midgett, Jesse Piatt, Burton Willard, William Grun and Bruce Blauch
Fourth Row L to R: Everett Catlin, John Seymour, Samuel McKinstry, Robert Wallace, William Suter, F. H. Yale and Richard Bolopue Jr.
Back Row L to R: Guy Walters, Franklin Crissy, Herbert Aarons Jr., Robert Bossler Jr., Harry Brinker, Brown, Robert Williams and James Sears
Donald John Griffith ‘54 - Don, born in Pennsylvania, was a graduate of Penn State in engineering and a Captain in the U.S. Air Force. He enjoyed tennis & gardening. In addition to his wife Margaret, he leaves behind 4 children, 5 grandchildren and 1 great-grandchild. His funeral will be at 11:00 am on September 14 at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Winter Park, Florida.
Donald J. Griffith ‘54 -LaVie Portrait
1951 Composite - Top Row L to R: Marvin Shoultes, William Clark, Robert Baylson, Owen McIntyre, Robert Handwerk, Angelo Spinazzola, Lawrence Giancola, Herbert Kurtz
5th Row L to R: Ted Schute, Paul Brecht, Tom TK, William Hanley, Jim Phillips, Edward Noyes Jr., Lawrence VanGorder, Lloyd Dietrich, Sven Schiff, Theodore Sappie. George Bone, Thomas Peters, Ralph Stuck, Alexander Martin
4th Row L to R: John Ayers, Frank Cressman, Donald Griffith, TK, Peter Fairchok, Fred Fieni
3rd Row L to R: Thomas Lewis, Lou TK, Jim Harpster, William Shomberg, Ray Gallagher, Dino Ruggerl, Craig Rupp, Jackson Hoerner
Bottom Row L to R: James Nelson, Eugenee Whitehouse, Christie Snyder Jr., Thomas Morton, Charles Douds, Dave TK, Joseph Wirs, Edward Keller - Photo Courtesy of Thomas Morton '53
1954 LaVie - Bottom Row L to R: Walter Segl Jr., Joseph Zimmerman, Frank Cressman, Richard Fronko, Alex Gregal, Kay Huston, James Krug, Dominic Alisio
2nd Row L to R: Louis Martini, John Pershing, Roderick Wiseman Jr., Kaelin, Donald Griffith, Roger Vogelsinger, Robert Wendel
3rd Row L to R: John Beachley, Richard Lewis, Charles E. Leech Sr., Thomas Maxwell, William Orben, Joseph Crudo, William Reid, Thomas LaFerrara, James Lucas
4th Row L to R: Edward Keller, James Wolfe, Harold Klose, George Groninger, Warren Hommas Jr., R. J. Watson, Lamont Smith William Youkers, Kenneth Sommers
5th Row L to R: Richard Codori, Dino Fieni, Anthony Richards, J. L. Melder, W. W. Klausner, W. G. Landis, Ronald Hansen, Anthony Crisci