Harold "Grant" Unkenholz, Jr.

Harold “Grant” Unkenholz, Jr., 97, of Breckenridge, died peacefully at Twin Town Villa on Saturday, August 12, 2023.

Time for visitation will be held on Thursday, August 17, 2023, from 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. at Valley Christian Church (VCC) in Breckenridge, MN, with a funeral service starting at 10:30 a.m.  Interment at Riverside Cemetery will follow the service. All are invited to VCC for lunch and fellowship following interment.

Memorials can be directed to Valley Christian Church or Gideons International.

Grant was born September 19,1925, in Mandan, North Dakota, to Harold Grant, Sr. and Isabelle (Binnie) Unkenholz.  He was raised at Ridgeview Farm, 16 miles SW of Mandan in Rural Township.  He attended school at Rural Number 1, graduating in 1939. He attended Mandan High School and graduated in 1943.  He enlisted in the US Navy on July 1, 1943, and attended Navy Electronics schools in Navy Pier, Chicago, IL, and Stillwater, OK.  He served in the Pacific Theater from February 1945 until April 1946 when he received an honorable discharge.

Grant married Alice Haugen August 24, 1946 in Mandan, ND, and they were married for 73 years. He attended North Dakota State School of Science (NDSCS) and graduated from the Radio Course.  Grant worked for KBMW radio station Wahpeton/Breckenridge from June 1948 to September 1956 where he was an engineer and announcer.  He taught electronics at NDSCS from 1954 until retirement in 1988.  Grant also worked for Ottertail Power Company during summers from 1957 to 1987 and half-time from 1988 until 1995.  He was a member of Gideons International from February 1966 until present and held several leadership positions within that organization.  

Grant enjoyed camping, fishing, hunting, and bird watching with family.  He installed and maintained many bluebird and wood duck houses and built and gave away numerous bird houses to friends and family.  One of his favorite bird house routes was Riverside Cemetery, his final resting place. He was known for his recycling of old buildings, and he singly re-cycled a barn, two houses, and a large hen house. He built a family room and double garage with re-cycled lumber.  He prided himself in telling jokes and his favorite subjects were Ole and Sven.

Grant is survived by his children: Dennis (Jeanne) Unkenholz, Pierre, SD; Gwen (Bruce) Mikkelson, Bismarck, ND; Wanda (Wade) Nowlin, Bartlett, TN; and Kathy (Del) Wiertzema, Breckenridge, MN; his 8 grandchildren, and 16 great grandchildren; his siblings: Richard (Pat) Unkenholz, Prescott, AZ; Ruth (Riley) Case, Kokomo, IN; James (Lee) Unkenholz, Ft. Collins, CO; and brother-in-law, Lionel Muthiah, Newberg, OR. 

He was preceded in death by his wife, Alice; sister, Marion Unkenholz-Muthiah; and great-grandson, Jack Jensen Unkenholz.