January 10, 1940 – July 29, 2023
Gary Eugene Grina was born on January 10, 1940, in Mountrail County, North Dakota, the second of three children of Cliff Grina and Goldie Lagerquist Grina. Gary passed away on July 29, 2023, at his home in Maple Valley, Washington, surrounded by his family. He was 83 years old.
Gary grew up in Snoqualmie Valley and graduated from Mt. Si High School in 1958. He was a strong athlete in high school, participating in football, basketball, and track and field. Gary’s mother Goldie was adamant that he should attend college and he worked tirelessly to raise funds for school. Gary graduated from the University of Washington in 1963 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business.
He began his 50+ year career in Banking and Trust Management with Seafirst Bank, working in Seattle and Vancouver, Washington. After 20+ years with Seafirst, Gary went on to build successful Trust divisions for multiple companies, including Key Bank, Safeco, and D.A. Davidson. Gary enjoyed his clients and his work so much that he did not retire until he was 76 years old!
Gary loved working in his yard and every house he owned boasted a beautiful lawn and vibrant gardens. He was a lifelong runner, participating in 5ks throughout the Pacific Northwest. Gary was a member of the UW Tyee club for many decades and often traveled to away games to support the Huskies. One of his favorite activities was traveling and enjoying great food and strong martinis with his wife of 32 years Annie. No one will ever mix us a better martini than Gary!
Gary is survived by his wife, Annie and his 5 children, Gayle (Rich), Ron (Katee), Loren (Dena), Andrew (Sarah) and Alex, 10 grandchildren and his older brother Don and sister-in-law Joanne. Gary had a charitable heart and was dedicated supporter of his family, attending many school events and always ready to help when life presented a challenge.
A private service will be held. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to https://foundation.chestnet.org/lung-health-a-z/interstitial-lung-disease-ild/
