Dave A. Gridley

Dave A. Gridley died at his home in Redmond after a two-year battle with cancer. He was 72.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at the Redmond Grange on May 2, at noon, with a reception to follow. A graveside committal service is to be held at the Redmond Cemetery at 2 p.m.

Mr. Gridley was born in Redmond, on November 4, 1935, to Roland and Thelma (Goodrich) Gridley. He grew up in Sisters and graduated from Sisters High School in 1954. He was a star athlete participating in baseball, basketball, football and track. He won second in state in the high jump and was the first Sisters athlete to play in the Shriner's East/West Allstar football game when it was six-man football. He played quarterback. He held many athletic records at Sisters High School.

Mr. Gridley married Leona Pepperling in Sisters, on December 18, 1954. He served in the Army, joining in 1955. He was stationed in Germany for 14 months, where he played basketball on the Army team. He and Leona lived in California for a few years after the Army and then moved to Madras, where they lived for 14 years. They lived in Redmond the last 36 years.

Mr. Gridley worked as a line foreman for Central Electric Co-op for over 30 years, retiring in 1997. He was a member of the Elks and the VFW. He participated in many rodeos, including the Sisters Rodeo and took second place in bulldogging at the Sisters Rodeo one year.

He was an avid bowler and liked to hunt and fish. He used to drag race at the Madras speedway and liked to attend the National Rodeo finals in Las Vegas. He loved his animals, especially his cats Louie and Nip.

He was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Leona, of Redmond; a daughter, Victoria Grensky of Jacksonville; sons, Steve of Tasmania, Australia, Mickey of Seattle, Washington, and Bob of The Dalles; sisters, Sharon Gibson of Joseph and Sherry Van Leuben of Elgin; and eight grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Sisters High School Athletic Department, 1700 W. McKinney Butte Rd., Sisters 97759 or the Redmond High School Athletic Department, 675 SW Rimrock Dr., Redmond 97756 for athletic participation scholarships.