Griff Edward Schrade, 80, passed away Sept. 16, 2023, in Tempe, Ariz., after a battle with Stage 4 colon cancer.
He was born in 1943 at St. Anne's Hospital in Chicago, the first child of Edward C. and Thurley (nee Griffin) Schrade. He grew up in River Forest, graduating from Oak Park-River Forest High School in 1961.
Griff received his bachelor's in electrical engineering from Purdue University and worked at Harnischfeger Corp. in Milwaukee for one year before taking over the reins of Schrade Ball Bearings Products Co. following his father's death in 1966. He worked as a manufacturers' representative until his retirement in 2013.
On Aug. 12, 1972, he married the love of his life, Karen Anne Lux, daughter of Robert Kiel and Constance (nee Greenhalgh) Lux of Hales Corners, Wis. Karen and Griff lived in Forest Park, first, then in Oak Park, where both of their children were born. They moved to Hinsdale in 1980 and lived there for 38 years.
Enjoying retirement, Griff and Karen moved to Friendship Village in Tempe, Ariz., in 2018, and very much loved the caring community and camaraderie among their fellow residents, especially during the last six months of Griff's life.
Griff was an avid reader. He'd resisted moving from books to electronic books until he received an e-reader for Christmas one year. From then on, he decided paper books were "too heavy to hold." He was also a baseball fan, following the Chicago Cubs since childhood and Arizona Diamondbacks more recently. On his 75th birthday, his name was on the scoreboard at a Cubs' spring training game. He was delighted.
Griff is survived by his wife of 51 years, Karen; his two children, Kristen (Dana) Kroeger and Todd (Kelli) Schrade; and his grandchildren, Henrik "Henry" Schrade and Karalyn Kroeger.
He will be interred near his parents at Chapel Hill Garden in Oakbrook Terrace.
