Grant Stansbury Caldwell

Monday, November 25, 2019 1:05 pm

Grant Stansbury Caldwell, 61, of Decorah, formerly of Canton, passed away after a sudden and unexpected illness Monday, Nov. 18, 2019, at Gundersen Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse, Wis. Funeral service was at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 23, at the Canton-Scotland Presbyterian Church in Canton, Minn. Burial was next to his mom and dad in the Elliota Cemetery in rural Canton. Visitation was 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday prior to the service at the church. Memorials are preferred to Special Olympics Iowa. The Mengis Funeral Home in Mabel assisted the family with arrangements.

Grant was born Dec. 1, 1957, to Laurence “Mike” and Lucretia “Luke” (Stansbury) Caldwell of rural Canton. Grant attended Canton Elementary School until first grade when he began school in Lanesboro, Minn., where he enjoyed many friends and wonderful teachers. He participated in the Minnesota Special Olympics in the Decathlon in 1972 in Mankato, Minn. After graduating in 1975, he moved to Winona and lived at a group home and worked at ORC until 1983. At that time, he moved to Decorah to be closer to his parents. He lived at Opportunity Homes and worked at Spectrum Industries. While living in Decorah, he liked walking, going to McDonalds and Mabe’s, bowling, watching TV and movies. He was well known for his curiosity about the world around him.

Grant was a gentle soul who liked to stay busy. He enjoyed making baby hay bales when he was younger and took great pride in his work at ORC and Spectrum, where he was always recognized for his work ethic and production levels. He loved to collect tractors and had quite a selection. He played Raggedy Andy in a play at the group home. Friends and relatives considered him a nice man, a good guy.

Grieving family includes brothers Michael (Nancy Hall) of Tucson, Ariz. and David (Lynn Giering) from the family farm in Canton; a sister Kate Kjome of Davenport; nieces Megan Hansen (Shaun), Amy Kjome (Steve Miller), Jyll Kjome (Sam Thompson); nephew Laurence Caldwell (Kelsey); grand-nieces Raina Miller and Leigha Thompson; and grandnephew Hansen, expected march 2020.

Grant was preceded in death and welcomed to Heaven by his parents; grandparents Phil and Bertha Caldwell from Canton, and Olin and Lucile Stansbury from El Dorado, Kan.; and beloved aunts and uncles.