John Grayson Obituary

John F Grayson, 89, died very peacefully at home on October 31, 2017 in Durango CO.

John was born on March 23, 1928 in Bay City, MI to William and Marie Grzybowski. He graduated early from high school in order to serve in the US Army. He met and married the love of his life, Louise, in 1951 at the University of Michigan from where they both graduated. He received a bachelors, masters and PhD in geology, paleontology, and palynology, respectively, ending in 1954. This resulted in a long and rewarding career as a research scientist for both Mobil Oil in Dallas and Standard Oil of Indiana, or, as it is now known, Amoco, in Tulsa, OK. His retirement years were in Durango where he built his dream home in Durango Hills. He and Louise were active parents of four children for 66 years and Louise pre-deceased him by only two months.

His older brother, Ernest Grayson, and a younger sister, Rosie Holysko, preceded him in death and he is survived by a younger sister, Betty Swincicki, of Phoenix AZ. He is survived by his children: Kathleen Marie Brook and her husband, Peter Szydlowski, of Santa Cruz, CA; Susan Grayson Moore and her husband, Matt, of Durango CO; Nancy Ellen Grayson and her husband, Donnie Francis, of Kingfisher, OK; and David John Grayson and his wife, Mary, of La Grange Park, IL. He has three granddaughters and three grandsons.

He and his wife, Louise, will have a joint memorial service to be held May 26, 2018 at 2 PM in the Durango Arts Center Gallery.