September 1, 2020

Linn County News

Published Sept. 2, 2020

Walter Allen Grigsby was born Jan. 9, 1943, in Oxford, Kan., the son of Louis H. and Alice (Miller) Grigsby and departed this life Aug. 29, 2020, surrounded by family at his home.

Visitation will be 5-8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, 2020, at Dengel and Son Louisburg Chapel. Graveside service will be 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 4, 2020, at Pleasant Valley Cemetery, 9501 W. 159th St., Overland Park, Kan. 66221.

After graduating Stanley Rural High School in 1961, he was united in marriage to Peggy Carol Wilson on Jan. 27, 1962. To this union, three children were born. The family resided in Stanley, Kan., until 1976 then relocated to La Cygne, Kan., where Walt built Peggy the home of her dreams.

If you knew Walt in the ‘70s during the "mule" years, you knew Gladys P. Jones as well. He was a charter member of the Tonganoxie Mule Club spending most weekends at mule shows, trail rides, or parades, enjoying quality time with family and friends. Throughout the years he always had a canine sidekick. A few of his favorites were Whiskey the Rottweiler, Suzie the Jack Russell and of course Curly the Labradoodle. Walt also enjoyed fishing in Mexico and Canada and hunting in Colorado and Kansas.

Walt was a member of the Local No. 10 Ironworkers for 40 years. After retiring, he enjoyed designing and fabricating custom metal works, furnishing unique pieces to his family and friends through his small business, Country Metals. His artwork had been known to require at least two people to move and has stubbed too many toes to count. If Walt built it, it was built to last.

In his later years, Walt, with his companion, Donna Randolph of Kincaid, Kan., frequented many auctions and craft fairs in the area and traveling.

Those left to cherish his memory include his daughters, Angela Woodward and husband Jim of Louisburg, Kan., along with their son Jarod, and Teresa Anderson and husband Lowell of Williamsburg, Kan., including their son Caleb and daughter Katherine; son Walter A. Grigsby Jr. and wife Candi of La Cygne as well as their sons Josh, Rusty and Jess; and stepson Allen and wife Jamie of La Cygne and sons Chad and C.J. Walt had four great grandchildren with one more on the way.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Peggy, in 2009; his parents; and two sisters, Barbara Jackson and Norma McCorkendale.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks for contributions to VITAS Hospice in care of Dengel and Son Mortuary, P.O. Box 669, Louisburg, Kan. 66053.

To leave a special message for the family online, please visit www.dengelmortuary.com.