Donald Grapes, 79, of Golden, Colorado, passed away on Wednesday, December 2, 2020, at Sanford USD Medical Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
A memorial service was held on Wednesday, December 9, 2020, at Unite Church in Salem, South Dakota. Burial will take place at a later date at Granby Cemetery, County Road 60 (E. Agate Ave.) in Granby, Colorado.
Don was born on January 6, 1941, in Manchester, Iowa, to Chester B. Grapes and Isadora Bramow. He married Joanne M. (Wise) Grapes on May 30, 1963. After moving to Black Hawk, Colorado, where they raised their family, they opened D & J Excavating in July of 1979. He ran the family business with honesty, integrity, skill and a legacy of always doing a job properly and to completion. He made sure the customer was always pleased with the finished product and taught his sons to do the same, all while managing up to 40 employees. This included their three sons, all working together for the success of the business until Don and Joanne retired in May of 2011.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Joanne, his parents and his son Chester B. Grapes.
Don is survived by: his daughter Maria (Grapes) Sanchez; sons, Steven Grapes and Robert Grapes; six grandchildren, Dominic Sanchez, Maria Sanchez, Charity Sanchez, Derek Grapes, Chester Grapes III & Robert Grapes Jr.; four step grandchildren, Nancy (Bauman) Leatham, Kara Bauman, Shana (Bauman) Roszel, Eve Bauman; seven great grandchildren, including Lynae Leatham and Melody Roszel; sisters, Elanor (Willie) Eichmann and Joy Grapes; half-brother, Kenny Marquardt; significant other, Sandy Robinson; and several nieces and nephews.
(Originally published in the December 10, 2020, edition of The Mountain-Ear.)
