John D. Gruner's Obituary
John D. Gruner, 65, died May 12 at Ames Family Center, Hospice of the Western Reserve in Westlake. Gruner was best known as a world traveler, active member of Messiah Lutheran Church in Fairview Park, officer of the Cleveland chapter of Michigan State alumni, founder of the Northeast Ohio MSU Endowed Scholarship and as former assistant living editor at The Plain Dealer. With extended family in California, Wisconsin and Virginia, Gruner is survived by many friends. Born in Wisconsin, he was raised mostly in Fairview Park, Ohio and Livonia, Michigan. He was preceded in death by his father George, an auto company executive, mother Margaret (Brogan), a nurse, and twin brother Joseph, a international reservation agent for United Airlines. Proudly using airline travel benefits, he made several trips to Europe, Japan, the Mediterranean, and Australia. He attended basketball and football games throughout the U.S. with MSU. He once traveled roundtrip from California to Hawaii for dinner with a return stopover in Las Vegas. He was a graduate of the Journalism School at MSU and worked for newspapers in Detroit, Albany, and northern New Jersey before a 36-year stint at The PD. Death was from complications from cancer. Private interment will be with Joe at Sunset Memorial Park in North Olmsted. Memorial services will be announced later.
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