Elmer Morris Gran (1919 - 2011)

Born 22 Nov 1919 in Menno, Hutchinson, South Dakota, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Fern (Ellinger) Gran — married 20 May 1944 in Elgin, Bastrop, Texas, United States

Descendants

Died 21 Jan 2011 at age 91 in Sioux Falls, Minnehaha, South Dakota, United States

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Biography

Morris Gran was born on Saturday, November 22, 1919^[1] on a farm six miles east of Scotland. He was the youngest of eleven children born to Anton Gran and Hannah (Larson) Gran.

He was baptized and confirmed in the Norway Church near Scotland. The Gran family later moved to a farm near Menno, where he attended country school through the 8th grade.

When Morris had barely begun high school, his father suddenly passed away. Morris and his brothers struggled for a few years to keep the farm going, but later moved their mother into Menno and supported her and themselves with the carpentry they had learned from their father.

He was inducted into the Army in March of 1942, during World War II. Morris and Fern had dated briefly before his military service, and got to know each other better during his furloughs and through his many letters. Morris was united in marriage to Fern Ellinger on May 20, 1944 in Elgin, Texas.

During Morris' deployments to Hawaii and the Philippines, Fern returned home and lived with her parents in Scotland. Returning home after nearly four years in the service, he and Fern farmed five miles south of Scotland. Morris was a gifted carpenter as well as a talented artist, producing a large variety of oil paintings over the years.

In his later years, Morris made and sold hundreds of pop-can twirlers, donating the money to mission work. In 1978, Morris became a member of Gideon International and Fern joined the Gideon International Auxiliary, where they were both devoted to the spreading of the Word of the Lord. He was a kind and thoughtful man who faced life's challenges with prayer, courage, and laughter. Morris was always active in the church he attended and his relationship with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, was the most precious thing to him.

He passed away at the Good Samaritan Society, Sioux Falls Center on Friday, January 21, 2011, having attained the age of 91 years, 1 month and 30 days.^[1][2]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 23 March 2019), memorial page for Morris Elmer Gran (22 Nov 1919–21 Jan 2011), Find A Grave: Memorial #66300251, citing Rose Hill Cemetery, Scotland, Bon Homme County, South Dakota, USA ; Maintained by Del Gran (contributor 47366987).
2. ↑ "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:J5R3-K3F : 23 August 2020), Morris E Gran, 21 Jan 2011; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).

• Howard - Fund Family Tree https://howardfund.tribalpages.com/tribe/browse?userid=howardfund&view=0&pid=1229&ver=15023 (accessed June 5, 2016)
• "United States Census, 1920," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6J3-XHX : accessed 11 April 2019), Elmer M Gram in household of Anton M Gram, Odessa, Yankton, South Dakota, United States; citing ED 256, sheet 1A, line 22, family 2, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1992), roll 1726; FHL microfilm 1,821,726.
• "South Dakota State Census, 1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMWB-RKY : 8 April 2020), Morris Gran; citing 149, State Historical Society, Pierre; FHL microfilm 2,368,437.
• "South Dakota State Census, 1935," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MV41-85W : 3 April 2020), Morris Gran, Sweet, Hutchinson, South Dakota; citing p. 200, State Historical Society, Pierre; FHL microfilm 2,369,686.
• "United States Census, 1940," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V192-VJ8 : 18 May 2020), Morris Gran in household of Hannah Gran, Menno City, Menno, Hutchinson, South Dakota, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 34-13, sheet 3A, line 19, family 52, Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940, NARA digital publication T627. Records of the Bureau of the Census, 1790 - 2007, RG 29. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012, roll 3858.