Clarence Andrew Gronning

In his younger years he was known as ‘Slim’, and in later years he preferred to be called ‘Andy’. He would often say, ‘Clarence is my father’. On his birth certificate, it states he was born at Norwegian Hospital in Seattle on December 4, 1927 to Clarence R. Gronning and Florence Leijon. He was raised in Ballard and attended Hallar Lake and later at Ballard High School. He graduated with the class of 1947.

Originally he was in the class of 1946, as he spent several months working on a fish tender in Alaska, and needed an extra semester to complete his courses. As a teenager he worked several jobs in the Ballard area.

When he was about 6 or 7, he convinced his father to buy him an accordion and take lessons. He did well and was able to play songs easily. One day the teacher asked him where he was in the sheet music. He didn’t know. It seems he was able to play just by hearing the song. This was a rare talent called ‘playing by ear’. He learned to read music later in life.

As a teenager he spent several months in Hollywood just to see what it was like. He later joined the Army and after basic training spent time in El Paso, Texas training to be a radio operator. His military time ended because his mother was ill and she had no one to help her. His discharge after only one year allowed him to avoid being sent to Korea.

In the 50’s he started playing his accordion as a career for Sheriff Tex “Junction Jamboree” at KING-TV. The 60’s took him to Sun Valley, Idaho to play for the Sun Valley trio at the “Ram” for one year. He returned to the Seattle to work at United Airlines briefly. He then received an offer to play with the Hap Miller Orchestra in the Duchin Room at the SV lodge. (This is when he learned to read music.) He felt that it was the best job he ever had as it lasted for 10 years. He shared stories for years of celebrities he met as a musician, including Jimmy Stewart.

While playing in the orchestra one night, he saw and fell in love with his wife Noreen, who was nurse at the SV hospital, and who he married 4 weeks after they met. He passed away just 5 weeks before their 59 wedding anniversary. In 1973, after his contract expired, they moved back to Kirkland with 2 daughters, Julianne and Suzanne and their cat. He enjoyed writing simple love poetry to his wife. His favorite comment was “I love you more”.

He was employed for 25 years in radio broadcasting in Seattle area as a ‘staff announcer’. During part of this time he continued his love of music playing the accordion in a trio called “The Norsemen”. He retired at 72 and enjoyed not having to get up and go to work. At 83, he had a brain injury from a fall. He recovered enough to be able to go home for another 10 years with Noreen’s assist. After another fall at almost 95 years old, he did not have the strength to recover.

Andy will be remembered always as a loving, kind and devoted husband, father, and grandfather to Andrew and Jeff.