Local philanthropist dies in wildfire

BY BYRNE BENNETT

Free Press Publishing

MEDICAL LAKE — A lifelong resident, philanthropist and advocate for area youth died in the Gray Fire on Friday, Aug. 18.

The cause of death for Carl Grub, 86, has yet to be released.

Grub was born in Medical Lake in 1937. He served in the U.S. Air Force reserves for 22 years, sold real estate and was a cattleman.

In 2008, he and his brother, Craig, established the Jensen Memorial Youth Ranch, which serves as a place for 4-H and FFA members from Reardan, Medical Lake, Cheney and Fairchild Air Force Base to keep their animals at no charge while also exposing them to the agricultural industry.

“Carl was a man of few words,” Ranch chairman Rick Perleberg said. “He was quite soft-spoken. But when he talked, you had better be listening.”

Perleberg described Grub as not only a savvy businessman, but also a visionary.

“He had the uncanny ability to look decades ahead,” Perleberg said. “He was a risk-taker, but was always proved right.”

Perleberg praised Grub for his patriotism, character and benevolent spirit.

“He sealed deals with his good word and a firm handshake,” Perleberg said.

Grub was a big man who looked every bit the cattleman that he was.

He wore a cowboy hat, long-sleeved shirts, suspenders and boots.

Yet, according to Perleberg, he did not hesitate to share his “old-fashioned” values with modern youth.

“There is nothing Carl wouldn’t do to help kids,” he said. “Carl was the glue that bonded the old world with the new world. He could bring diverse worlds together in an amazing way.”

Jennie Wagner, who retired in June as Medical Lake High School’s FFA adviser, described Grub as a man “who built a real estate empire.”

She praised him for his commitment to kids.

Wagner recalled her first encounter with Grub.

“My first year of teaching, we had a couple kids who wanted to raise sheep,” she said. “But their parents couldn’t afford to buy any.”

Someone at the school suggested she call Grub.

“Within minutes after hanging up, Carl showed up at the school with a $500 check,” Wagner said.

“He would often dip into his own pockets to make sure that no kid went without.”

Wagner, who was on the ranch’s board, said members would sometimes lament not having sufficient funds for projects.

“Carl was the treasurer,” Wagner said. “Miraculously, large chunks of money appeared in the bank account.

“Carl never said where the money came from, but we all knew.”

Wagner said as the board discussed different issues concerning the ranch, Grub refocused them by asking, “But how are we going to help the kids?”

Ranch board member Jim Wentland had known Grub for 40 years.

“He was the best friend a man could have,” he said. “He was also the best dad many kids at the ranch had.”

Wentland said the 2023 Junior Livestock Show of Spokane was dedicated to Grub for his lifelong dedication to promoting agricultural education to area youth.

Wentland said that Grub was “larger than life,” and that his legacy will live on through the youth ranch and through the scores of kids he mentored.

“Ironically, Carl’s childhood home burned down the day he died,” he said. “His death is an enormous loss for our community.”

Jeremy Anderson of Reardan partnered with Grub in a construction business in 2004; they built 10 houses together.

“Carl was a great mentor,” Anderson said. “He taught me so many things regarding construction, land development and financing.

“We transferred $4,000,000 between us, all on a handshake.”

Anderson said when he started his own construction business, “Carl loaned me all my equipment and never charged me 1 cent.”

Anderson said the financial backing Grub provided him, he did for “many other people so that they could get on their feet.”

Anderson said that after suffering a minor injury, Grub and his brother, Craig, brought his family a Hickory Farms gift basket.

He said the brothers dropped off gift platters of meat and fruit to others who were going through a rough stretch.

“Carl was nothing but gold to me and my family,” Anderson said. “He was old-school, honest, unique and real.”

“Carl was one great dude,” Perleberg said. “He was the last of the good ole boys.

“People will never know the extent of his generosity.”