Malvis Grisel passed away peacefully after a brief illness on Fri., Nov. 15, 2019, with family by his side.
Mal, as his friends and family called him, came into this world on Oct. 9, 1929, at the Herneday Farm just outside of Lebanon, son of Jesse and Mary Swails Grisel, who preceded in him death. Mal was a wonderful late in life surprise to his parents, he was such a surprise, they couldn’t come up with a fitting middle name for him.
Anyone that knew him, knew of his contagious smile beneath that amazing mustache and his kind and generous heart! He did not know a stranger, always waving and speaking to anyone he passed; he would have talked to a wall if it could have talked back! He was a lover and collector of antique clocks and had well over 70 in his home, and yes, the majority of them were functioning at the same time. He also enjoyed antique cars, owning quite a few different makes and models through the years.
Mal was a graduate of Lebanon High School where he was a proud member of the LHS marching band playing the Cornet! He also had been a member of the Masonic Lodge for 60+ years and was proud of being known as a Freemason.
In his teenage years he worked at the infamous Guernsey in Lebanon, then started at the A&P grocery store. He was known as the friendliest meat cutter there was and anyone that shopped there always stopped to chat with him. Mal did not know a stranger. His retirement from there did not last long as he was known to be a doer and a goer. He was a painter’s helper and then started working for the Toxicology Lab at Witham, where he loved driving all over the state collecting and delivering samples. He had made so many friends along the way and he even spoiled the girls in Greenfield by always bringing them Titus donuts. By the urging of his family, Mal finally retired from the Lab at the age of 87, but continued to go there every day as a volunteer to help out where needed.
Mal was formerly married to Norma L. Young Grisel and they had 4 amazing kids, who were his pride and joy. He then married Cherry Wethington Slagle and they shared over 40 years together. Mal will be truly missed by so many, and that void will never be able to be filled.
He is survived by his wife, Cherry; two sons and two daughters, Rick (Marita) Grisel of Winamac, Malana Grisel of Lebanon, Tim (Kim) Grisel of Indianapolis, and Karen (Dennie) Cross of Lafayette; a step-son, Mike (Barb) Slagle of Lebanon; grandchildren, Joell (Heather) Grisel of Westfield, Bryan (Stacey) Grisel of Francesville, Matthu (Tanya) Harmon of Lafayette, Ashlee (Mason) Floyd of Brownsburg, Nikolaus (Taylor) Cross of Indianapolis, Aaron Grisel of Indianapolis, Tabitha (John) Gamroth of Lebanon, Chris (Tino) Slagle of Lebanon, and Josh (Addie) Slagle of Thorntown; and 17 great- grandkids, Kamryn, Maddox, Sofia, Tyler, Lilly, Jace, Jaxton, Max, Kasen, Bexley, Tenley, Myckah, Maia, Mathias, Madden, Major, and Alister. Malvis was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers and two sisters, Louis, Raymond, Ellen, and Martha
Family and friends will gather Mon., Nov. 18, 2019, for visitation from 4 p.m. until 7 p.m. with Masonic Services beginning at 6:30 p.m. and funeral services will be held Tues., Nov. 19, 2019, at 10 a.m. in the Strawmyer & Drury Mortuary, 2400 N. Lebanon Street, Lebanon. Malvis will be laid to rest at Oak Hill Cemetery in Lebanon. You are invited to visit the website www.strawmyerdrury.com where you may sign his online register and leave a personal message.
Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, or to the Boone County Cancer Society, 117 W. Elm Street, Lebanon, IN 46052.
