Grayston E. Witmer

Grayston E. Witmer, 88, passed away on January 21, 2022. He was a resident of Fort Wayne, Indiana and Siesta Key, Florida. Born April 26, 1933 to the late Joseph and Sylvia Witmer of Grabill, Indiana. He graduated from Leo High School in 1951 and then attended Purdue University. He served in the Army in Alaska and returned to finish college.

Grayston was a design engineer at International Harvester until 1961, when he joined the family restaurant business, Moore’s Restaurant Equipment. Moore’s Restaurant Equipment joined the Happy Humpty Restaurants to start Lucky Steer Restaurants in the late 1960’s, where he served as Vice-President and Equipment Division Manager. In 1981, the restaurant business was sold and he continued to operate the equipment business as owner of Taylor Distributors of Indiana until he retired in 2000. He was a member of Aldersgate Methodist Church and Elks Lodge #155.

On March 23, 1957, he married the love of his life, Bonnie Brown of Monroeville, who survives. Along with being a loving and devoted husband, Grayston was a wonderful father to five children, who survive, Julie Washington of Newburgh; Jenni (Stan) Schrock of Fort Wayne; Jill (John) Scherer of Sarasota, Florida; Kyle (DeeAnn) of Bargersville; and Kory (Krista) Witmer of Fort Wayne. He was also known as grandpa to 16 grandchildren and great-grandpa to 29 great grandchildren. Grayston is also survived by a brother, Houston (Sandra) of Hanes City, Florida. He is preceded in death by two brothers, Parnell (Lee) and Winston (Virginia); a sister Phyllis (Ted) Moore; and one granddaughter, Carly Gupta. He had many cherished friendships and was loved by many for his leadership and generosity.

A Funeral Service will be held at 12:00pm on Friday, February 4, 2022 at Aldersgate United Methodist Church 2417 Getz Road Fort Wayne, IN, with visitation beginning two hours prior, at 10:00am. Entombment in Covington Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy for the Witmer family may be shared at www.McCombandSons.com