Merrill “Mel” L. Grile

Memorial services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, at Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Sauk Rapids for Merrill “Mel” L. Grile, age 81, who passed away Oct. 13, 2021, at his home. The Rev. Timothy Routh will officiate and entombment will be at Hilltop Mausoleum in Sauk Rapids. Visitation will be one hour prior to the services.
Mel was born March 19, 1940 in Ft. Recovery, Ohio, to Charles and Ada (Philebaum) Grile. His family moved to St. Cloud in 1950, he graduated from St. Cloud Tech High School, and attended Dunwoody Institute. Mel married Barbara Perry July 16, 1960 at Salem Lutheran Church in St. Cloud. He was the owner and operator of Grile Auto & Truck Repair “GATR” until retiring in 2002. Mel was a member of the St. Cloud Vocational Technical College Board of Directors for many years, former member of the Sauk Rapids Rescue Squad/Civil Defense, and a member of the Hoodlum Car Club. He enjoyed cars, dirt track racing from Canada to Iowa, building hot rods, traveling, boating on Lake Superior on “Winter Hawk”, riding motorcycle, and spending time with family. Mel was quietly independent, creative, had a great mind, and was a creative inventor.
Survivors include his son, Perry (Cindy) Grile of Sauk Rapids; sisters, Charlene Brieland of Williston, North Dakota, and Carol Cook of Brookfield, Missouri; grandchildren, Eric (Katie) Zintek of Foley and Jonathan Zintek of Sauk Rapids; and great grandchildren, Ben, Brayden, Blake and Bradley. Mel was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Barbara on July 24, 2014; daughter, Donna on Aug. 10, 2013; infant daughter, Sara; and brother, Ronnie Grile.
Obituary, guest book and video tribute available online www.williamsdingmann.com
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Mel was born March 19, 1940 in Ft. Recovery, Ohio, to Charles and Ada (Philebaum) Grile. His family moved to St. Cloud in 1950, he graduated from St. Cloud Tech High School, and attended Dunwoody Institute. Mel married Barbara Perry July 16, 1960 at Salem Lutheran Church in St. Cloud. He was the owner and operator of Grile Auto & Truck Repair “GATR” until retiring in 2002. Mel was a member of the St. Cloud Vocational Technical College Board of Directors for many years, former member of the Sauk Rapids Rescue Squad/Civil Defense, and a member of the Hoodlum Car Club. He enjoyed cars, dirt track racing from Canada to Iowa, building hot rods, traveling, boating on Lake Superior on “Winter Hawk”, riding motorcycle, and spending time with family. Mel was quietly independent, creative, had a great mind, and was a creative inventor.
Survivors include his son, Perry (Cindy) Grile of Sauk Rapids; sisters, Charlene Brieland of Williston, North Dakota, and Carol Cook of Brookfield, Missouri; grandchildren, Eric (Katie) Zintek of Foley and Jonathan Zintek of Sauk Rapids; and great grandchildren, Ben, Brayden, Blake and Bradley. Mel was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Barbara on July 24, 2014; daughter, Donna on Aug. 10, 2013; infant daughter, Sara; and brother, Ronnie Grile.
Obituary, guest book and video tribute available online www.williamsdingmann.com
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