Grant Tarpinian

Stoughton- Grant Tarpinian, age 85, died at Agrace Hospice in Janesville on August 7, 2016. He was born May 17, 1931 and was raised in Jamestown North Dakota, the son of first-generation Armenian immigrant parents Garabed "Charlie" and Aghavni "Agnes" Tarpinian. He joined the National Guard in High School, later enlisting in the U.S. Army and served in the Korean War. After his service, he met Sue (Rose Marie Ryan) while both worked at Montgomery Ward in Valley City ND. Grant and Sue married in St. Paul in 1955, and together they spent the next 18 years, living in cities and towns throughout the upper Midwest working for Wards including Watertown SD, Thief River Falls MN, Montevideo MN, Waterloo IA, Freeport IL, Wisconsin Rapids WI, and finally in Madison WI. They settled in Stoughton in 1975 where Grant opened his own appliance repair business. He was very proud of his business and made many friends and acquaintances in the community through his work.
Grant loved family and traveled extensively throughout the US and abroad visiting his children. An unfulfilled goal to follow "Route 66" to the West Coast never happened, but provided hours of entertainment in planning during his later years. Grant was a life member and past commander of Stoughton VFW, Post #328, ushered at First Lutheran Church in Stoughton, and took tickets at Stoughton High School basketball games in the 80's. He was a lifelong learner including snow skiing in his forties, motorcycling in his fifties, and stained glass in his sixties.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father, brother Mike, and beloved daughter Jennifer Jean who was killed in a car accident shortly after the family moved to Stoughton. He is survived by wife of 61 years, Sue; his sister Betty (Don) Tarman of Alta Loma CA and sister-in-law Jackie Tarpinian of Jamestown ND; children, Grant Michael "GM" (Cathy), Tim, Larry "Tarp", and Gary (Donna); grandchildren, Kim (Bo) Kitelinger, Robert (Maria), Jennifer Marie, Jason (Katie), Jonathan, TJ (Tina), Craig (Tiffany) Robinson, Stacy Ryan, Jennifer Lee, Brittany, Kelsey, and Matthew; great-grandchildren, Aaron, Julianna, Elizabeth, Gabriel, Landon, Wyatt, Jennifer Lynn, Mariah, Miranda, and William; and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, August 12, 2016 at First Lutheran Church, Stoughton, WI with a luncheon to follow. Visitation will be held Thursday from 4-7 p.m. at CRESS FUNERAL HOME, Page St, Stoughton, and from 10:00 AM until the time of services Friday at church.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Agrace Hospice, First Lutheran Church, Stoughton EMS, and Skaalen Rehabilitation for their care during his illness.
Memorials may be made to SmileTrain or Doctors Without Borders.
Please share your memories of Grant.
Cress Funeral Service
206 W. Prospect Street
Stoughton, WI 53589
(608) 873-9244