Doris Marie Grandos

Doris Marie (Parker) Grandos, 92, passed away peacefully on April 12, 2023 at the Towne House Retirement Community in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Doris was born December 13, 1930, to Ethel (Haimbaugh) and Elmer Parker. Apart from her college years in Bloomington, Doris lived all her life in Fort Wayne and was a lifelong member of Plymouth Congregational Church. After earning an education degree from Indiana University, where she played flute in the University Orchestra, Doris began teaching at James Smart Elementary School. On December 21, 1957, she married Norm Grandos and they were married for 63 years until his passing in 2021.

While raising their five children, Doris not only earned her Master’s Degree in Education from Saint Francis College and worked as a historical interpreter at the Old Fort, she also volunteered for many organizations: P.E.O., Allen County Genealogical Society, Franke Park Day Camp, Girl Scouts, Camp Red Cedar, and 4-H, to name a few. For many years Doris could be found dressed as an early pioneer, spinning wool and teaching children about American settlers. Her love of history was also expressed through her extensive genealogical research. Doris was an avid bridge player and had a large circle of friends and family throughout her life. Every summer Doris would take her family to camp by the Tippecanoe River at the family farm and historic Haimbaugh Round Barn near Rochester, IN.

Her children couldn’t have asked for a better mother, and her husband was a lucky man to have married Doris. She will be greatly missed by her family; son, Jim (Debbie) Grandos; daughters, Sue (Steve) Maggio, Jane (Jerome) Boundy, Patty (Jeff Howard) Grandos, and Elizabeth (Darin Toft) Grandos; and her ten grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, April 24, 2023 at the Towne House Chapel 2209 St. Joe Center Road Fort Wayne, Indiana 46825 with visitation one hour prior, luncheon to follow the service beginning at Noon. Doris will be laid to rest at Covington Memorial Gardens in a private ceremony. In lieu of flowers please consider donating to P.E.O., a philanthropic organization supporting educational opportunities for women worldwide (https://donations.peointernational.org/), or to a favorite charity in Doris’s name.