Funeral services for Irvin Grantham, age 87, of Lemmon, SD will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 6, 2010 at the New Hope Worship Center in Lemmon with Pastor Dan Lindeman officiating. Burial will be in Greenhill Cemetery in Lemmon with full military honors afforded by the Brattvet-Green American Legion Post #66 of Lemmon.


A family service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 6, at the New Hope Worship Center.


Serving as casketbearers are Marlin Knutson, Brad Wheeler, Les Lensegrav, J.R. Stockert, Bill Penfield, Mike and Ezra Grantham. Serving as Honorary Casketbearers are Walter, Harrison, and Isaac Grantham, and Ed Bierwagen.


IRVIN FRANCIS GRANTHAM was born May 9, 1923 at Underwood, ND to Carl Francis and Roselia Gertrude (Rants) Grantham. He attended school at Underwood and Turtle Lake, ND and began working on area threshing crews. He was inducted into the U.S. Army on February 17, 1943 at Ft. Snelling, MN. He served during WWII in Rhineland, Northern France, and Central Europe earning the Good Conduct Medal, EAME Theatre Ribbon, World War II Victory Ribbon, American Theatre Ribbon, and three Bronze Service Stars. Irvin was discharged on November 19, 1945 at Camp Chaffee, AR and returned to McLean County, ND near Washburn where he continued working for area farmers and ranchers.


Irvin met Vernette Gaile Jackson and they were united in marriage on August 23, 1964 at the Lemmon Church of God. They lived on a farm north of Thunder Hawk and then resided at Hettinger, Prairie City, and Bismarck, ND. They returned to the farm and in 1973 moved into Lemmon. He worked as a custodian for Five Counties Hospital and Nursing Home, and for the City of Lemmon in the street and sanitation departments. For several years he did custodial work for the Lemmon Public School and then began mowing lawns, raking leaves, shoveling snow, or whatever he could to be of help.


In March of 2009, Irvin was diagnosed with cancer and has been battling it since. He passed from this life on Thursday, October 28, 2010 at the Fort Meade VA Medical Center.


He was a member of New Hope Worship Center where he was very active in Misson's and Prayer Ministry. He was not afraid to share his love for the Lord with anyone. For the last two years of his illness, he could be found every evening at the church in prayer.


He is survived by his wife, Vernette Grantham, Lemmon, SD; two sons, Ezra Grantham, Lemmon, SD and Michael (Robin) Grantham, Granger, IN; two grandchildren, Casey and Taylor Grantham; three brothers, Walter Grantham, Gregory, SD, Harrison (Sharon) Grantham, Fargo, ND and Isaac (Carol) Grantham, Bismarck, ND; and two sisters, Nanna Slauphman, Burlington, ND, and Pearl Sheets, Mandan, ND.


Irvin was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Mary Smith.


Visitation will be on Friday, from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon and on Saturday from 10:00 to 2:00pm at the New Hope Worship Center.


A memorial has been established to World Missions.