Kurt Grinnell 

November 1963 - April 20, 2021

Posted

The family mourns the loss of Kurt Grinnell who passed away in Port Angeles on Tuesday, April 20, 2021. Kurt was born to Fred and Elaine Grinnell in Port Angeles, Washington in November 1963.

Married to Terri in 1999, Kurt was a kind, loving, and faithful husband. Their priority was raising two daughters and they enjoyed it to the fullest; Kurt and Terri were front-row parents at every school and extracurricular activity. After children left the home, the fun did not stop; Kurt and Terri continued adventures in travel, motorcycle rides, camping, attending Seahawks games, and so much more.

A devoted father, Kurt supported his daughters in their ambitions. He instilled in them, from a young age, the knowledge that with hard work and determination, they could reach any heights to which they aspired and was always a wise counsel. Adored by his three grandsons, Kurt was a loving and attentive grandparent, and he naturally demonstrated a balance between doing activities with them and being in companionable silence with them.

Graduating with the class of 1982 from Port Angeles High School, Kurt was a talented wrestler, football player, and motocross racer. After his attendance at Haskell Indian Nations University and the University of Washington, he returned to his community as an Indian Child Welfare Case Worker and Chemical Dependency Counselor. A devoted citizen of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, he was intimately involved in making sure that his tribal community and resources were self-sustaining and long-lasting for many generations to come. At different points in his life, he was a gillnet fisherman, geoduck diver, shellfish farmer, Tribal Councilman, entrepreneur, visionary, a member of many local and state Committees and Boards, and many other roles that are not captured here.

Kurt was a bridge-builder. He brought many people together, was a peacemaker, and he touched the lives of so many throughout his life. Kurt’s legacy will be the innumerable relationships he forged, and those relationships will carry forward for generations. His trustworthiness, empathy, leadership, and steadfast resolve earned him the respect of people too numerous to count.

Those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife, Terri (Horstman) Grinnell; daughters Loni Grinnell-Greninger (Eric), and Jaiden Bosick (Gregory); grandsons Brock, Colt and Grant; parents, Fred and Elaine Grinnell; siblings Jack (Michelle) and Julia (Brian); Terri’s siblings Carol Mortensen and Rod Horstman (Deborah); as well as many nieces and nephews and their children: Hawk Grinnell (Martha), Nick Grinnell, Mack Grinnell, Khia Grinnell (Jon), Michael Donahue (Molly), Sarah Klostermeier (Jake), Jon Donahue (Justine), Kelly Mortensen, and Garrett Horstman (Paige).

A Celebration of Life service will be held outdoors at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 1 at Jamestown Beach, 1272 Jamestown Road, Sequim, WA 98382. Because of the current pandemic, the family and Tribe have granted permission for a live stream option that will also be available and can be found on the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s website at jamestowntribe.org. Please respect the cultural traditions of the family and Tribe — no photos or videography. We kindly ask that all attendees wear masks, and we request that attendance be kept to adults and older children only. Please also dress appropriately for weather. Parking is available onsite at Jamestown Beach, and shuttle services will also be available for all who park at 7 Cedars Casino Hotel and Sequim High School main parking lots, starting at 10 a.m.