Jeff Grandmason

Published 10:09 pm Friday, January 10, 2014

Jan. 29, 1951 – Dec. 28, 2013Jeffrey Grandmason of Bend, OR, passed away peacefully with his family at his side at OHSU in Portland, OR, with complications due to a Bone Marrow Transplant. Jeff was 62.Jeff was born January 29, 1951, in Bend, OR, to Francis and Eleanor (Renhack) Grandmason. In his early years, Jeff worked for the Forest Service grading and cruising timber, then eventually as a recreation guard at Snow Creek Guard Station. Jeff also worked for the Grocery Industry and was employed by Newport Avenue Market in Bend, which he considered his second home and family. Jeff was an avid outdoorsman and loved camping (in Rhododendron at the family cabin), hunting, fishing, hiking, photography, gold mining and metal detecting, with his family and all of his friends at the High Desert Treasure Club and with Cent. Ore. Prospectors Assoc. Jeff also dearly loved his family of animals that were always at his side. Jeff leaves behind his wife, Kathy of 40 years, and their two dogs and two cats. He is also survived by his brother, Rick Grandmason (Alicia) of Portland, and his sister, Eileen (Bill) Franklin of Sweet Home, OR. He also leaves behind his brother and sister-in- law, Ralph (his best friend) and Mary Lee, and his extended family of nieces and nephews. There will be a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Francis Historical Church (Franklin Blvd.) on Thursday, Jan. 9, 2014, at 10:00 a.m., with a reception to follow at the St. Francis Parish Hall, 2450 NE 27th St., Bend. Please note the time and date change which is different from the death notice. Jeff endured quite a battle with illness starting with his Acute Myeloproliferative Disorder, then in 2010, he contracted Guillain-Barre” Syndrome, and after that, the leukemia showed up in 2012, which he has been fighting until this last battle with the bone marrow transplant. Because of his passion for life, and giving nature, Jeff enrolled in the studies at OHSU, so that research could be done to help find cures for these dreadful diseases in the future. His last and final gift to all of us was a complete autopsy so that the OHSU doctors could study his body and hopefully help to find cures for all of us and our children. Jeffs plan was to come back to Bend and dedicate his life to raising funds for the Knight Cancer Research Challenge with OHSU. If OHSU can raise five hundred million dollars by December 2015, the Knight Cancer Institute will match it. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Jeffs memory may be sent to OHSU Foundation Knight Cancer Institute Challenge, (in memory of Jeff Grandmason) 1121 SW Salmon St., Suite 100, Portland, OR 97201 or online to OHSU.edu and use the navigation bar. Be sure to note that it is for the Knight Cancer Research Challenge. Autumn Funerals, Bend handled arrangements. 541-318-0842 www.autumnfunerals.netJeff James Grandmason