Stanley Grygar Obituary

Mr. Stanley L. Grygar of Temple died on Wednesday, February 12, 2025 at William R. Courtney Texas State Veterans Home. He was born on December 6, 1931 in Double Header, Texas and was the loving son of Marie (Hanacik) and Joe Grygar. He attended public schools in Oenaville, Lost Prairie, and Temple where he graduated from Temple High School in 1949. In 1976 he graduated from Temple Junior College with an Associates of Science degree.
Before enlisting in the United States Army, Mr. Grygar was employed at Shades Apparel Store & Curtis Shoe Company. He enlisted in the National Guard, Btry A 649 AAA, AWBN in July 1950. He was stationed at Fort Bliss, Texas, Fort Polk, Louisiana and Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He was honorably discharged from the National Guard in early January 1952 and immediately enlisted in the United States Army. He was again stationed at Fort Bliss and in October 1953, he was stationed in Munich, Germany until October 1955 with A Btry 47AAA BN 5th Infantry Division in the Glider portion where he attained the rank of Sergeant. He was honorably discharged at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas in 1955.
Mr. Grygar married the love of his life Joyce Ann Divis at St. Mary Catholic Church in Temple, Texas. When he saw her for the first time in 1953 at the wedding of her mother and stepfather, he asked his good friend Eugene Dana who that girl was with the bride. His response was that her name was Joyce, and she was the bride's daughter. At the evening wedding dance, he asked her to dance, and she turned him down only agreeing after a mutual friend convinced her that Stanley "was a good dancer"! They danced multiple times and then they began dating soon afterwards. They continued to date while he was overseas and when he returned from Germany in 1955, they decided to marry. In the Catholic faith, couples were not allowed to marry on a weekend during Advent, so they decided to get married at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, November 22, 1955. They partied all day long and ended their beautiful day with an evening wedding dance at Seaton Star Hall, where their relationship first began.
Of this union, five children were born who will miss him dearly but who take comfort in the fact that he is with his Savior Jesus Christ and his beloved Joyce: Mark (Cathy) Grygar, Brian (Janet) Grygar, Carrice (Robert) Dunnahoo, Randy (Julie) Grygar and Kevin (Tessa) Grygar.
Grandchildren left to cherish his memory are Chad (Meghan) Meeks and Eric (Barbara) Quest, Brent (Nicole) Grygar and Chase (Lauren) Grygar, Kevin (Nikki) Dunnahoo, Kyle Dunnahoo, Carina Dunnahoo and Caci Dunnahoo, Jacie (Trenton) Glaser, Tyler (Caitlyn) Grygar and Travis (Kelsey) Grygar, and Tanner Toomer and Kylie Toomer. Thirteen great grandchildren (with one on the way) also survive him.
His sister Marguerite Plowman and sister-in-law Eileen Grygar survive him as well as his sister's and brother's-in-law Anna and Steve Eixman and Walter and Bea Jakubec. Numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and many, many friends are also left to lovingly remember him.
After serving his time for his country, he was employed 28 years by the Temple Veteran's Administration Center where he worked in Nursing Service and Respiratory Therapy. In 1983, he transferred to the Marlin VA Center, Respiratory Therapy Department, retiring in January 1987. In March 1987 he was employed by Scott and White Memorial Hospital as the Communi-Call representative and then retired in 1999 as an Emergency Medical Technician from the EMS Department. He remained employed by Scott and White as an "as needed" shuttle driver until 2017 topping off a total of 60+ years in healthcare employment.
While working as a part-time shuttle driver until July 2012, Jack Huber, owner, and good friend of San Antonio Ambulance Sales hired Stanley to transport ambulances all over the United States where he and Joyce made, many trips together, seeing every state and visiting many points of interest. On occasion, Margie and Billy Plowman and/or Marietta and Dionys Brenek traveled with them.
In their younger years, they would take the whole family on summertime week-long vacations resulting in many cherished memories. Once they could not all go as a family unit, the family trips stopped and then they picked up again in their later years.
In their retirement years, Stanley and Joyce traveled to sites such as Rome, Italy and most of Europe including Austria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Poland, and Turkey. They also visited Alaska, Canada including Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, Hawaii, Israel, Egypt and Mexico.
Stanley lost his precious Joyce to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis on May 3rd, 2009, at which time they had been married almost 55 years. He always said he was still married, never removing his wedding ring, believing that they were just temporarily apart as she was living in heaven while he was here. Also preceding him in death are his parents, an infant sister Josephine Grygar, a sister and brother-in-law Hattie and John Tomek, a brother Clarence Grygar, a sister and brother-in-law Marietta and Dionys Brenek and brother-in-law Vernon G. Plowman. His in-laws Emil Divis II, Annie and Walter Jakubec and brother's-in-law Emil Divis III, Eugene Divis, and Johnny Jakubec preceded him in death as well.
We will all miss his playful nature as we remember his pranks and great laughter. He could tell the funniest stories! He was a man of great generosity, tremendous character and integrity who never ran out of love for his fellow human being.
Honorary Pallbearers are Mr. Grygar's grandsons and Mr. Wayne Garrett, his godson.
In lieu of flower arrangements, the family requests memorials in his name be made to: St. Luke Catholic Church or St. Luke Building Fund at 2807 Oakdale, Temple, TX 76502, Any Alzheimer's Association of your choice, Any Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Association of your choice, Or to any charity of choice.
Funeral mass will be held at St. Luke Catholic Church on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, at 10:00 o'clock a.m. with the rosary recited at 9:30 a.m. Burial of ashes will be held at St. Josephs Cemetery in Cyclone the same day at 2:30 p.m. The family will be accepting visitors at St. Josephs Parish Hall in Cyclone on Monday, February 24, 2025, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Hewett-Arney Funeral Home of Temple is entrusted with these arrangements.