Gerald Grundmeier, 85, of Yucaipa, passed away on October 5, 2017. He was born October 8, 1931, in Manning, Iowa, during the Great Depression.
Gerald enlisted in the Air Force on July 18, 1950, right after the Korean hostilities began. He served four years in the Air Force. Staff Sergeant Grundmeier is a life member of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter No. 12, in San Bernardino. He received the Korean Service Medal with four campaign stars, UN Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal and a Good Conduct Medal.
Gerald moved his wife, Judy, and their two sons, Cory and Guy to Yucaipa, California, in 1960. He and his wife adopted three children in 1965; Laura, Mark and Tammy. The family raised chickens and operated an egg delivery business for many years in Yucaipa.
Gerald is survived by his five children, Cory (Ingrid) Grundmeier, Guy (Tina) Grundmeier, Laura (Rob) Spear, Mark (Lynn) Grundmeier and Tammy (Thomas) Myers; 18 grandchildren, Gary Hayes, Alan Wells, Collin Grundmeier, Shelby Veirs, Ryan (Kaleigh) Spear, Gavin Grundmeier, David Veirs, Jacob Grundmeier, Maxwell Grundmeier, Sara Spear, Chelsea (Zach) Dabney, Bree Murray, Noel (Shane) Hornbeck, Luke Grundmeier and Ashley Rechsteiner; 13 great grandchildren, AJ, Reagan, Brody, Jared, Logan, Mason, Beverly, Preston, Sienna, Jason, Gemma, Hadlee and Amelia.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 27, at 11 a.m. at Weaver Mortuary, 1177 Beaumont Ave. in Beaumont.
2005 information
Gerald enlisted in the Air Force right after the hostilities began July 18, 1950 and served 4 years in the Air Force. He took basic training at
Lackland AFB in Texas. Upon completing basic training he was sent to Sacramento California and stationed at Mather AFB where he was assigned to
Field Maintenance working with B-25 aircraft. In the spring of 1952 until the spring of 1953 he was with the 49th Fighter Bomber Wing, using F-84 Jet
aircraft, located at Taegu Korea. Returning stateside, he completed his Air Force tour at Yuma County Airport, Yuma, Arizona, where his assignment
was towing targets over the desert for air-to-air rocket training. Gerald was discharged July 17, 1954, shortly after the airport was designated an Air
Force Base. Regular barracks were built for the Airmen and the tents were taken down. Gerald returned to Manning after his discharge and in 1960
he moved his family to Southern California.
Staff Sergeant Grundmeier is a life member of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter #12, in San Bernardino, California. He received the Korean Service Medal with 4 Campaign Stars, UN Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal, and the good conduct Medal.
Gerald has been away from Manning for 42 years.
His parents are Clarence F. and Huldah M. (Jensen) Grundmeier. They were both born and raised in Manning being the children of Hugo and Kate Grundmeier and Anton and Anna Jensen. The Jensen family farmed south of the Town of Manning.
Gerald joined the Manning 1949 graduating class in the spring when Kindergarten started and spent one year after graduating when he worked for his father in Manning at his baby chick Hatchery.
Gerald enlisted in the Air Force right after the hostilities began and served 4 years in the Air Force, being discharged a Staff Sergeant from a God forsaken assignment at the Yuma County Air Port where they pulled targets over the desert for rocket and gunnery training.
Gerald enlisted July 18, 1950 and was discharged July 17, 1954. He had basic training at Lackland AFB in Texas. From there he was sent to Mather AFB in Sacramento California where he spent a year.
Then he was sent to Korea (Spring 1952 - Spring 1953) where he was stationed with the 49th Fighter Bomber Group in Taegue Korea. Gerald spent a year there and then finished his tour at Yuma Arizona County Airport, which is now a Marine Base with barracks to live in, versus tents, which was the case for his final year and a half back in 1953-54
During the years he spent in Manning after service (1954 until California 1960) he had a Des Moines Register Sunday farm paper route.
Gerald is a life member #04012L15203 of the Disabled American Veterans Chapter #12, in San Bernardino California.
He received the Korean Service Medal with 4 Campaign Stars, UN Service Medal, and National Defense Service Medal and the good conduct Medal.
Gerald was married several days before being discharged and brought his wife, Judy to Manning where they lived for 6 years and then moved to California where they bought a poultry ranch and produced and marketed eggs.
Gerald & Judy raised 5 children and presently are living on the property they bought when they moved to California.