McGranahan, Lloyd W.

Lloyd W. McGranahan passed away peacefully on Friday, May 13, 2011, at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids after a short illness. A memorial service to celebrate Lloyd's life will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, May 20, at Echo Hill Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Bill Warhover officiating. Friends and family will gather at the church at 10 a.m. Friday. Private inurnment will take place at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery, Cedar Rapids. Arrangements entrusted to Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home, Cedar Rapids.

He is survived by his wife, Bonnie; son, Larry (Kot Flora), Iowa City; grandsons, Nicholas (Alison Nair) of San Francisco, Calif., and Dustin (Claire) of Iowa City; stepson, Charles Spear (Patti) of Seffner, Fla.; stepdaughter, Nancy Patrick (Charlie) of Cedar Rapids;and stepgrandchildren, Tyson and Dustin Godar of Cedar Rapids, Michael Spear and Hailey Parris of Seffner, Fla.

He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Lois Yates Drake; infant brother, Donald; and first wife, Kathryn.

Lloyd was born Feb. 12, 1920, in rural Dysart, Iowa, son of William and Rose McGranahan. He attended school in Shellsburg and Palo, graduating from Palo High School in 1937.

He farmed with his father until 1945 and then moved to Cedar Rapids. He married Kathryn Bergen at the Little Brown Church in Nashua in 1942. She died in 1989.

After operating an auto service station in Cedar Rapids, he was employed by Cedar Rapids Auto Supply, later Sieg Co., an auto parts wholesale company, for 38 years. He began as a salesman, calling on many service stations and garages in the area before becoming sales manager. He retired in 1987 as president of 11 Sieg stores in Cedar Rapids and the surrounding area.

Lloyd married Bonnie Spear in 1992. They lived in Cedar Rapids before moving to Marion in 2006. Their union brought together two families which Lloyd cherished.

Lloyd enjoyed a long and active life and was blessed with a close family and many friends. He never missed a gathering or celebration and was often “the life of the party.”

In recent years he devoted a lot of his time to visiting friends and helping those who were less fortunate and less mobile than he was. He was an active member of Echo Hill Presbyterian Church and the Elks Lodge.

Lloyd was a longtime fan of the Iowa Hawkeyes and was a football and basketball season ticket holder for many years. He loved tailgating on Saturdays in the fall and traveled to several football bowl games. He enjoyed cars and everything about them. He also enjoyed gardening and yard work, and he had a particular dislike for dandelions.

Lloyd also enjoyed traveling and visited many states, including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as Puerto Rico and several countries in Europe and Asia with Kathryn and later with Bonnie and their friends.

He was the beloved head of the family, and he will be greatly missed.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Echo Hill Presbyterian Church or Camp Courageous of Iowa.

Please leave a message, tribute or memory to Lloyd's family on the webpage,  under Obituaries.