David Glenn Grondahl
David Glen Grondahl, 58, died July 22, 2024 of natural causes at his home in Boise, Idaho.
Dave was born in Bismarck, North Dakota on July 1, 1966, son of C.R. and Shirley (Lien) Grondahl. He went to school at Highland Acres grade school, Hughes Junior High and Bismarck High School.
His summers as a young one were spent camping and fishing on lake Oahe south of Bismarck and every 4th of July on a lake near Clear Lake, South Dakota with his cousins, the Gundersons and Fromms. The highlights were swimming, tubing, fishing and of course, bottle rocket fights with the boys. His nickname was “Arf” because he would crawl around on all fours, acting like a dog. Ypsilanti, North Dakota was the family gathering place on the other side of the family (Lien) where we had the park and dam, playground and hardware store with penny candy. The badlands ranch run by the Vandaele’s was his father’s friends and created many fall memories. Dave was also lucky to have a great Dad that would take the family to a fly-in fishing camp every May. That lasted for 30 some years.
Dave graduated from Bismarck High School in 1984 where he played hockey. He always told the story of one summer working for waterfowl biologists in Devils Lake, North Dakota picking up sick and dying ducks on an airboat after the birds had succumbed to botulism.
After graduating, his best friend, Jon Brannan and he joined the National Guard and headed off to basic training in August to Fort McClellan, Alabama to become military police. They were members of the 191 Military Police Company in Mandan, North Dakota for 6 years where they made more friends and shared many crazy stories.
Dave attended the University of North Dakota and pursued aviation. He flew small planes and ended up receiving a Bachelor’s of Science in Aviation Administration. In 1988, Jon Brannan told him he needed to meet this girl named Tausha who worked with him at Sergios restaurant in Bismarck. Well, apparently it was a good call since Tausha and Dave were married in 1990.
In 1990, he started with Alamo rental car company in Omaha, Nebraska as a rental agent and soon became the production supervisor. In 1993 he was promoted and transferred to Boise, Idaho where he was the General Manager of Operations until 1998. After Alamo, he became the HR Director for VideoEye Corporation from 1999- 2006 and the Operations Manager for The Car Park Company from 2007-2008. In late 2008, Dave and Tausha moved with their kids to Rapid City where he worked part time at Menards while taking care of Garrett, Breanne and the dogs. After moving back to Boise in 2010, he started at St. Lukes Hospital in Boise as a Patient and Visitor Associate where he worked for 12 years helping people navigate the hospital. He loved his work at St. Lukes and the people he was able to help every day.
Of all of the things Dave did, he was most proud of and devoted to being Dad and Husband to Breanne, Garrett and Tausha. When the kids were young, he managed the household and kids schedules to help balance Tausha’s work demands as much as possible. He liked to be involved in the after-school sports activities, assisting as “coach” when needed. Needless to say, all of the kids loved him as he was a big kid himself. Dave made camping a priority for the family each summer in the surrounding beautiful Boise mountains with some of the fondest memories being the annual camping trips with the Hill family. During the fall, all gathered regularly for the Boise State football games. Football season won’t be the same without Dave laughing and cheering on the BSU Broncos. (and his beloved Steelers!)
Dave was the “loud” life of every party and people flocked to him for joy and entertainment all through his life. In Boise, everyone remembers his boisterous laugh and hilarious story telling at Friday Happy Hours and the routine Saturday OMBs (old man breakfast) with his closest friend Scott Emmart. When he traveled to Bismarck for his sister-in-law Andrea’s retirement party in June, he made friends at the local taverns. For that short time knowing those folks, they will even miss him. Tip your glass for him.
Dave is survived by his wife, Tausha, Boise; son and daughter Garrett and Breanne, brother Chris (Andrea), Bismarck and mother Shirley, Bismarck. He also leaves behind his second family who loved him as son, brother and uncle; Jack and Judy Bohnenblust, Mike and Tara Hill (Bohnenblust), Ryan and Emily Hill.
He was preceded in death by his father, C.R. Grondahl, Nels (Bud) Lien, Phyllis Lien, Marge and Gordon Gunderson and Karl and Lorraine Fromm.
Arrangements are under the direction of Bowman Funeral Parlor of Garden City.