Donald A. Grindstaff

Grindstaff, Donald A.

Age 86 of Eagan, passed away on December 6, 2023. Preceded in death by his parents and brothers. Survived by his wife, Shirley; children, Davin, Micaela, and Heather; grandsons, Aiden and Rafferty; and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Don was born on October 28, 1937, in Mount Hope, Fayette County, West Virginia, to David Anderson “Yank” Grindstaff and Mary Delitha (Bailes) Grindstaff. He graduated from school in 1955 in Mount Hope, WV, where he was a member of the marching band. He entered the U.S. Air Force and served honorably at Stewart Air Force Base in Newburgh, NY. Following his release from active duty in 1961, he enrolled at VPI in Blacksburg, VA, via a work-study program in conjunction with VPI and Monsanto in Charleston, WV, receiving awards from the Scholarship Department at VPI, the Eastman Fellowship, and became a member of Tau Beta Pi, Phi Kappa Phi, and Phi Lambda Upsilson; he received his B.S. and M.S. degrees in 1963 and 1965 in Chemical Engineering. After working for some time for Dow Chemical in Midland, MI, Don applied for GI education benefits and returned to the collegiate life at MIT in Cambridge, MA, where he had a teaching assistantship and obtained the Ch.E. degree in 1969. Job opportunities then brought him to Minnesota, where he resided for the remainder of his life.

Don was of Presbyterian faith and received amazing religious instruction in Mount Hope, WV. Although proud to have been a product of his upbringing in West Virginia, have spent most of his adult life in Minnesota, he was happy to call MN home.

Don’s wish was to be cremated and he did not want a formal funeral. There will be a private family burial at Fort Snelling National Cemetery.