Lanora Adaire McGill Grondel

Our sweet Grammie, Lanora Adaire McGill Grondel, passed away peacefully on Wednesday April, 10 2024 with her daughter, Robin, by her side at the age of 88. 

 She was born in Ogden Utah on May 18, 1935 to Lawrence and Annie Sybil McGill. She graduated from Ogden High school in 1953 where she met her high school sweetheart, Richard (Dick) Grondel, and they were sealed in the Salt Lake City Temple on May 6, 1953. Shortly after the welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Robin on March 17, 1954. 

 Her family expanded when they welcomed their foster daughter, Melanie Little Wolf. Then Robin married Kevin Beck and they welcomed a son in law which brought 5 Grandchildren. Cheston (Charlene) Beck, Amanda (Johnston) Hurd, Miranda (Albion) Yeaman, Mitchell (Opalgene) Beck, and Kaliegh Beck. Their family expanded even more with 10 Great Grandchildren. 

 Lanora was an active and faithful member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She devoted her life to her Heavenly Father and her family. She held many positions in the church but her longest calling was a Girls Camp Director for 20 plus years. She helped to take girls camp into the woods and helped to establish a girls camp at Lyman Lake and worked with the general board of the church in 1962 to create the girls camp certification program. She loved and inspired so many young women.

 Dick and Lanora purchased land at Tokewanna Estates Wyoming where they found their love of hard work. Together they built a 3 story cabin from the ground up, by hand, with no building experience. They volunteered their grandchildren, friends, and neighbors to help level the ground, cut logs, peel logs, stain and put the cabin together. It was a family affair of incredible memories for everyone who was involved. 

 She felt that it was important to work on their family history and complete the temple work for them. She had Cherokee blood and found that there was plenty of work to be done.    Along with Family Search, and the help of her whole stake,  they were able to extract and complete the work for over 200,000 Native American names.  This led them to serve a full time mission to the Cherokee nation in North Carolina.  The Cherokee people loved and accepted them.   She was given the name of Little White Feather and was presented with the honor of being called a Beloved Woman.  

 They also established a LDS Cherokee group and her life work was writing a book that explained the similarities between the Cherokee and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  

 They also served a mission in inner city Ogden where they met and helped many people.  

 Lanora had many hobbies to keep her busy.    She was a rock hound, showed Arabian horses, showed collie dogs, she loved climbing mountains, camping, running marathons, sewed most of her own clothing and was extremely crafty.

 Christmas time was their favorite time of year.  For years they would dress up as Mr and Mrs Clause and would visit hundreds of families and bring gifts.  They also performed a whole Christmas program where they had the Grandkids and friends dress up and sing songs    for thousands of people at various church houses.  

 Lanora was proceeded in death by her parents, siblings and spouse. 

 She is survived by her daughters  Robin and Melanie, 5 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren.

 Funeral services will be held Monday, April 15 at the Walker Mortuary in Morgan Utah.  There will be a closed casket viewing at 11:45 followed by the funeral at 1:00 pm.  

 Lanora loves the Lord with all her heart.    She is a true disciple of Christ and is so happy to be back with her Dickiebird.