Obituary of Charles H. Grund

CHARLES H. "MUD" GRUND Charles H. "Mud" Grund passed away on Wednesday, November 14, 2018 at Arnot Ogden Medical Center surrounded by family and friends. Mud was born in 1927 in Reading, Pennsylvania, son of Charles W. and Mildred Grund. He is survived by his loving wife of 68 years, Lois, together they raised 3 children; Greg (Michele) Grund of Elmira, NY, Gretchen (Ed) Wiegand and Gail (Dave) Perrin of Boulder, CO. They have one grandchild, Teale (Justin) Darnell and 2 great grandchildren, Ayla and Ace, of Denver, CO. He is also survived by 2 brother-in-laws; Albert Seybrecht of Joppa, MD and Ron (Cyd) Seybrecht of Tampa, FL, nieces; Kristy (Paul) Carew and Sheri Seybrecht (Tim Culver), and nephew Scott Seybrecht and several great nieces and nephews. Having a nickname like "Mud" certainly was a conversation starter. "Your name is Mud?" asked by a stranger was an open invitation for Mud to tell his stories...91 years' worth. His crystal blue eyes caught your attention especially when he styled his wardrobe in the same sky blue. "So, you like my blue eyes?" Mud would ask. Mud, a man of small stature, housed a huge giving heart with a body and mind overflowing with experiences...a life library filled with books that told the stories of nine decades. Let's look at the library sections and start at the beginning. Childhood Years - Child Labor - Mud started earning money at the age of 9 working in social clubs setting up bowling pins. He got paid a percentage for the number of games played...or per Mud...allegedly played. Rebellious Years - Zoot Suit - The main tale expounds on stories of hanging out with the "wild" guys dressed in zoot suits. His favorite uniform was pink and black striped which he "acquired" from a clothing store in Philadelphia. The Army - The Genius is a standout with pages worn thin describing how the army lost his records three times at Ft. Meade. So Mud had to retake the same tests and get the same shots four times. Having memorized all the answers, he ranked as a genius. Consequently, when in 1947 he was shipped out from New Jersey to California to Honolulu, the geniuses were dropped off in Hawaii to become teachers at Scofield Barracks as the rest of the men headed to Korea. The Captain Doesn't Like Me, But the Major Does - Late in 1947 Mud's ship was heading from Honolulu to Ft. Lewis in Seattle. The Captain did not like Mud and ordered him to type hundreds of discharge papers. The Major did like him and with the Major's approval, Mud typed his own discharge papers first and left. College - Accelerate Your Learning from 2 Years into 9 Months -ROTC/Penn State/Pennsylvania Military College - 1945, Susquehanna University and The Poison Ivy Incident - 1948 Marriage and Children - A Rainy August Day for a Wedding -1950. His wife's favorite book that she made him read often, Lois - The Influence of a Good Woman in My Life. Three Children in Four Years - Survival Manual Church - Making Lasting Friendships - Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (1950s-1970s), Circle of Friends - First Presbyterian Church (1970s -2018) Work - Mud, a financial analyst, retired at 83 from Morgan Stanley as a senior vice president. Selling Mutual Funds - Rockwell-Gould Meeting and Greeting the Old-Fashioned Way, Connecting Door to Door - First Albany Corporation Feeling Honored - The Wachovia Way Award The Human Emotion Curve, A Life-Long Tenet Sayings - Mud's life library contains many, among them: "Holy Jumpins" as an Expletive "Hello, Hello, Hello" as a Greeting Health and Exercise Parking Garages and Other Creative Jogging Routes Vitamin Supplements Are THE Major Food Group Hobbies Ping Pong IS A Sport, Racquet Ball and Broken Noses, Tennis Is Best Played on Vacation Ski Slopes, T-Bars, and Blood, Getting Lost Means, I'm on Vacation DIY Projects/ Home/Car Maintenance - This section of the library contains no books Faith/Community Service/Volunteering Born Again, A Spiritual Awakening - 1974 - 2018 Compassion for Inmates - A Prison Ministry from 1979 Through the New Millennium Finding Your Calling at Care First (Hospice), Years of Holding Hands Always the Gentleman - A Guide to Remember Your Manners Charles H. Grund, Mud, an extraordinary man with a steadfast commitment to giving back to his community, was honored on May 22, 2018 by the New York State Senate with a Legislative Resolution recognizing him as the recipient of the 2018 Older New Yorker of the Year Award for enhancing the well-being and vitality of his community. The award states, "Charles H. Grund embodies the principles and ideals that make us proud to be Americans." During his service, Mud received The WWII Victory Medal and the Army of Occupational Japan Medal. He was the oldest member of the Elmira Rotary Club joining in 1962, and also a member of the Rotary's Charitable Fund. He was the recipient of multiple Paul Harris Fellows and the 4-Way Test Award.Mud was a member of the Elmira Country Club since the 1950s and the First Wednesday Men's Breakfast Club.Mud was a participant in the Full Gospel Business Men Fellowship, ACTS (Area Christians Together for Service), Chemung Volunteer Action Corps. and served as a board member of the Jewish Community Center, the YMCA, the Elmira College Council, and as an Elder for the First Presbyterian Church and a Board-Synod member of the Lutheran Church of America.His faith and belief in a loving God were strong and unwavering. He was always ready to quote a Bible verse or fold his hands in an empathetic prayer. He spent the majority of his life volunteering for the Elmira Correctional Facility in its prison ministry as well as Care First (Hospice) offering compassion and prayers to those at the end of their life. Most importantly, friends and family marveled and embraced Mud's Miracle Books which he began writing in 1981. If you needed a prayer and healing, you were entered into his sacred 5"x7" book. After writing your name in his book, Mud told you what number you were assigned. When he died, his last entry in his Miracle Book was #4,118 and after that number was his very own name, Mud Grund. Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Memorial Service celebrating Mud's Life on Friday, December 7, 2018 at 11 AM at The First Presbyterian Church on West Clinton Street and Rambler Road in Elmira, NY. Full Military Honors will be accorded Mr. Grund at the conclusion of his funeral service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church or Care First (Hospice). Arrangements are entrusted to the LYNCH FUNERAL HOME 318 WEST BROAD STREET HORSEHEADS, NY. Words of Condolence and memories may be shared at www.lynchsfuneralhome.com