Mr. Ehret was the president and owner of Ehret, Inc., in Belleville. He was a life-long resident of Belleville, IL, and a part-time resident/snowbird, of Ft. Myers, Florida. Grant was a member of the Moose Lodge, a member of the Elks Lodge, a member of the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 101, and one of the founding owners of Clinton Hill Country Club. Mr. Ehret also belonged to the Tancred Chapter Order of DeMolay International, and the DeMolay Majority Club, where he was the recipient of the DeMolay Legion of Honor. He belonged to the Belleville Area Holtzschnitzers/Midwest Woodcarvers, and the Great Southwestern Illinois Association of Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Mechanical Contractors Association. Grant was an Eagle Scout and a U.S. Navy Korean War veteran.
Mr. Ehret was preceded in death by his first wife of 46 years, Dehlia M. “Dee”, nee Forness, Ehret whom he married on August 20, 1955, and who died on December 9, 2001; his second wife of 12 years, Eva C. “Kay” Mohr Ehret, whom he married on June 25, 2005, and who died January 13, 2018; and his parents, Stephen R. and Grace E., nee Munden, Ehret.
Surviving are two sons, Michael (Janet) Ehret of Belleville, IL, and Mark Sr. (Cheri) Ehret of Belleville, IL;
two daughters, Kathy Ehret of Brighton, CO, and Kristy (Scott) Janus of Aurora, IL;
two stepdaughters, Patricia (John) Balkonis of St. Augustine, FL, and Glenda (Harry) Sterling of O’Fallon, IL;
18 grandchildren, Andrew Ehret, Amy Ehret, Jennifer (Jon) Winslow, Carla (Jason) Luther, Mark Jr. (Becky) Ehret, Julia (Megan) Ehret, Jenna (Theodore Trotman) Ehret, Justin (Victoria Taylor) Nollau, Jordan (Whitnie) Nollau, Charlotte (Arik) Orbach, Emily Janus (David LeDonne), Samuel Janus, Erica (Adam Sr.) Smith, Matthew (Paige) Balkonis, Zachary (Alyssa) Sterling, Robert (Tiffany) Schmitz, Melissa Sterling, Harry (Michelle) Sterling;
18 great-grandchildren, Madelyn and Katelyn McCullough, Lauren Luther, Miles and Luke Ehret, Kendall Ehret, Easton Nollau, Zoe and Adam Smith Jr., Kayla, Tyler, and Nathan Balkonis, Connor, Owen, Brody, and Declan Schmitz, Molly Keim, and Zoe Allen-Sterling;
a brother-in-law, Patrick (Lynn) Forness of Smithton, IL;
and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Dammert Geriatric Center or to Family Hospice. Condolences may be expressed to the family online at www.rennerfh.com.
Visitation: Friends may visit from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, February 28, 2020, and from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturday, February 29, 2020, at George Renner & Sons Funeral Home, Belleville, IL.
Funeral: Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, February 29, 2020, at George Renner & Sons Funeral Home, Belleville, IL, with Fr. Nicholas Junker officiating.
Burial with military honors will be at Lake View Memorial Gardens, Fairview Heights, IL.