Laurence J Granfield Jr.

Like the fictional character George Bailey, Larry experienced his share of challenges, but throughout his time with us lived the wonderful life of spreading positive energy and caring to the other people with whom he came in contact.

Larry was born in 1921 in San Francisco, California to his mother Celia and father Laurence, Sr., and lived happily with his mom and dad, his older sister, Barbara, and literally scores of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins in a large extended family. His father was the youngest of nine children and his mother was one of four sisters. His parents had both experienced the Great Earthquake and Fire in 1906, and after meeting had married in 1916.

Larry had great boyhood friends— from school and from among his cousins and his sister during his life in San Francisco. His family’s life took a turn, though, because of the Great Depression. His father had gone into business with one of his father’s brothers, building the first “super service stations” on Van Ness and expanding into additional service stations, but that business did not survive the Depression. Taking an offer from one of his mother’s relatives who owned movie theaters in San Diego, Larry’s family took their last $500 and moved to San Diego in 1936. The whole family worked at the movie theater, his dad as manager, his mother in concessions, his sister in the ticket booth, and Larry as an usher. Larry graduated from Hoover High School in San Diego. Larry was able to keep in contact with his beloved cousins and San Francisco relatives through Summer trips to the Russian River, north of San Francisco, where the extended family would meet in country cabins and at the beach at Monte Rio.

After high school, Larry entered San Diego State College, and there, met in late 1941, the woman who was to become his wife and life partner, Patricia Scidmore. Pat was a native of San Diego county, having been born in 1924 in National City, living with her parents, and brother Ken. One of Larry and Pat’s first dates’ was at the U.S. Grant Hotel in San Diego for New Year’s 1942 — a date that nearly didn’t happen, when because of the crush of the New Year’s crowd and the layout of the hotel, the young couple had trouble finding one another.

As the U.S. entered WW II, Larry was at college and also working in the defense plants. Pat’s brother Ken joined the Army Air Corp. and became a bomber pilot. Larry’s father told his son that while he had not given his son many orders as he grew up, he was going to make one strong request now which was that Larry not become a pilot. So, rather than entering pilot training as he had planned, Larry entered the Army as a foot soldier in 1944. At the end of Larry’s basic training, a chain of telephone calls invited Larry and Pat’s wedding guests to their wedding at the Little Chapel of the Roses at Glenn Abbey in October, 1944. The couple started

life together at Ft. Benning, Georgia while Larry awaited orders to deploy to Europe. Larry’s orders came, and he fought with General Paton’s Army until the end of the war in Europe, and then was in the Army of occupation in Germany. Larry was asked by his company commander to become his company’s first sergeant, and Larry took on the task, other than leading the company in marching in parades before Paton and other dignitaries which Larry assigned to more experienced drill sergeants.

In October, 1946, Larry’s dad suffered a heart attack, and he was given an emergency discharge from the Army so that he could help with the vending business that his father had started and had thrived during the war. Larry came back to the U.S. and was reunited with Pat. He started working with his father and his brother in law, Conrad “Andy” Anderson, at County Beverage in 1946. Larry and Pat also started their family of baby boomers shortly after the War ended, with Laurence III (“Lance”) being born in 1947, Stephen in 1949, Debra in 1951, David in 1954 and Lindsee in 1960. Larry and Pat raised that family in Chula Vista, where in 1949 Larry and Pat, with Larry’s parents and sister and brother in law had purchased an acre of land and built three adjoining houses. Larry’s family also got to mix with their San Francisco relatives on various trips to San Francisco and to the Russian River in the 1950’s and 60’s.

When Larry’s father retired in the mid-1960’s, County Beverage was sold to ARA Corp. and Larry stayed on as the Sales Manager for San Diego county. He worked in that job until the mid-1970’s when he decided he would rather own his own business again, and he started Granfield Security Systems, installing fire and burglar alarm systems. Larry was joined in his business by his son, David. Larry retired in the early 1990’s, and after Larry’s retirement and Pat’s retirement from San Diego State where she worked after the kids were grown, Larry and Pat moved to Hillcrest to a high rise condominium.

Larry and Pat lead a great life of faith and service to their community. They participated in three hurches, ending with The First United Methodist Church of San Diego when they moved to Hillcrest. They enjoyed multiple bible studies and volunteering as Sunday school teachers and in other way through the churches they belonged to. Larry was a member of Rotary for much of his business life, hosting a few Rotary exchange students along the way. Larry and Pat also did work with at risk youth through Project Concern and other organizations.

Starting in the 1970’s after their son Steve started a career at T,W.A., Larry and Pat enjoyed interacting with people from all over the world using travel benefits provided by Steve. Larry and Pat traveled all over Europe, including to the U.S.S.R. before it was broken up. They also made trips to the Holy Lands of the Middle East, and took their last trip abroad to Australia and New Zealand when they were in their mid-80’s. Pat passed away from Larry’s side after 64 year of marriage in February of 2010. Larry soldiered on without Pat until he passed away on December 12, 2017 at the age of 96. Larry loved God, his family and his friends and they loved him. He, like Pat, will be missed. Larry is survived by his five children, four grandsons, two great granddaughters, one great grandson, nieces and nephews and various cousins.