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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Obituary: Grossmann, A. Eugene Jr.

Age 98

GROSSMANN, A. Eugene Jr. At age ninety-eight died peacefully December 9, 2012 in Spokane, Wash-ington of complications from multiple illnesses.

He was born August 3, 1914 in Chicago, Illinois the first child of A. Eugene Grossmann and Clara “Sis” Mordue Grossmann.

He met the love of his life, Gladys Stanyer at Morgan Park High School in Chicago and dated her steadily for over ten years.

He graduated from the University of Chicago with a BA degree and then went on to obtain a Doctor of Law degree at that school where he was on the Law Review.

He moved from Chicago to Kansas City, Missouri in December, 1940 to begin work as an attorney for Ryland, Stinson, Mag and Thompson law firm.

Now able to support a wife he married Glad on February 8, 1941 in Kansas City, Missouri.

He entered the U.S. Army in 1943 and served in the 540th Field Artillery Battalion in vicious combat during the Battle of the Bulge.

His numerous war stories have been a marvelous source of entertainment and education for his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

After the war he returned to the firm where his law practice began, continuing there until his retirement in 1983.

He often described to family his many cherished memories of outstanding colleagues and clients from his law firm years.

He became a leader in his firm, helping to advance the careers of others and serving in firm management including time as head of the firm’s corporate law department.

As Vice Chairman of the Missouri State Bar’s Corporations Law Business Organizations Committee, he helped draft many amendments to improve the General Business Corporation Law of Missouri.

Gene purchased a cabin on Lake Lotawana, a suburb of Kansas City, in 1949 where he and his family enjoyed sailing in the summer and iceboating in the winter.

He moved to dwell solely at Lake Lotawana in 1978 and lived there until he and Glad moved to Spokane in 1999.

His lifelong love for sailing began in the 1930s when Glad gave him a kit for a sailing kayak that he and Glad sailed on Lake Michigan.

He raced Snipes at Lake Lotawana, had in succession three large and larger sailboats on the Lake of the Ozarks each named “Boola Riki,” and chartered sailboats all over the world, many times accompanied by his family.

He and his three siblings Claire, Bob and Fred grew up in Chicago during the Great Depression, and those hard times made an indelible impression upon Gene.

That fact was particularly evident in his later years when he gave freely and generously to multiple charities but lived a rather frugal personal life style.

He is survived by his two sons A. Eugene Grossmann, III, MD of Spokane and Ronald S. Grossmann, JD of Portland, Oregon, their wives Tessa and Jo, four grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and his brother Frederic M. Grossmann of Charlotte, NC.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Glad, his sister Claire and his brother Bob.