Richard Allen Dick Grandstaff
From the loving
arms of his wife,
Richard Allen Dick
Grandstaff rose from
his earthly home on 23
March 2025 at age 82.
He and the love of his
life, Eleanor June âEJã
(nee Myers)
Grandstaff shared 62
wedded years. They
were introduced by a
friend on a blind date
5 years earlier..
Those who knew
Dick described him as
kind, mild mannered,
dependable, fun to be
around socially and at
work and having a
spontaneous sense of
humor.
He was a devoted
husband, father, brother, son-in-law and uncle. He made wooden
toys for the children
and when his nieces
received new games
for Christmas; they
knew that they could
count on Uncle Dick to
play with them. He
was an avid sports fan.
He attended his son’s
baseball games, went
horseback riding with
his wife and helped
with his daughter’s
horse shows. He attended Buccaneer and
Florida State football
games and watched his
WVU Mountaineers
on TV. Dick enjoyed
sailing and deep water
fishing in the Gulf of
Mexico. He even
managed to get his
land loving mother
into the boat for a day
of fishing.
He enjoyed spending
time with family and
friends. He coached
his granddaughters’
middle school track
team, and coached their
volleyball team to a
District Championship
win. In later years, he
helped serve
Thanksgiving dinner to
Nursing Home
residents and becoming Santa Claus at
Christmas presenting
each resident with a
gift and a hug.
He also enjoyed
spending family time
with the friends of his
children during their
teen years. Learning of
his passing, one of
those long-ago friends
remembered Dick as
A great man many,
many great memories
from Buccaneer
games, to Sunshine
Speedway and the trip
to Mexico. I always
have a smile on my
face thinking of you
two adding I’ll always cherish the good
old days – even pizza
on Friday.
Born in Dunbar, WV
to John E. and Hattie
(Brock) Grandstaff,
Dick was the sixth of
eight sons and a
daughter.
After the family
moved to New Martinsville, he attended
Magnolia High School
where he ran Track
and played football,
graduating in 1961.
He went on to receive
a BS degree from Fairmont State College
Dick served three
years in the US Army
spending 27 months in
Germany as a Nike
Missile Repairman. He
and EJ enjoyed living
on the second floor of
the home of a German
family who treated
them like family. They
visited Paris with
Dick’s NCO and driving their VW Beetles
filled with camping
gear, they and another
military couple enjoyed camping and
sightseeing through
Austria, Italy and
Switzerland.
In addition to living
in New Martinsville,
WV, Fairmont, WV
and Hoppstadten, Germany they lived in
Largo, Fl, Clearwater,
FL and on a 40-acre
horse farm in McAlpin, Fl before settling
in Independence, LA.
He was preceded in
death by his parents,
infant son, Joseph
Timothy Grandstaff,
brothers Jim (Barbara),
the Rev. John, Jerry,
Bud, Chuck and Jack
and sister Shirley
Evans (Charles), father
and mother in-law
George Bob and
(Betty Jane) Myers,
brother in-law George
Bud Myers,
sister-in-law Carol Sue
Myers, and special
aunt in-law Eleanor Sis Collins.
Dick is survived by
his wife, son Richard
(Kaye) Grandstaff of
Tallahassee, FL;
daughter, Dr. Gerlinde
Grandstaff (Mark)
Beckers of Independence, LA, brother David (Melinda)
Grandstaff of New
Martinsville, WV;
Brother-in-law, James
Myers of Eastlake,
Ohio; Sisters-in-law
Shirley Myers of Eastlake, Ohio; Betsy
Grandstaff of Charleston, WV; Holly
Grandstaff of New
Martinsville, WV;
Sandy Grandstaff of
New Martinville, WV;
granddaughters Dr
Kalie Beckers (Sam
Campo) of Folsum,
LA; Emma (Logan)
Scafidel of Independence, LA; Eleanor
(EV) Grandstaff of
Tallahassee, FL; Hazel
Day Gil of Angono,
Rizal, Philippines and
many much loved
nieces, nephews and
great nieces and
nephew