Ernest Daniel "Ernie" Grant

Ernest Daniel "Ernie" Grant, 84, of Sioux City died Monday, Dec. 10, 2007, at a Sioux City hospital.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Friday at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, with the Rev. Merlin Schrad officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, with military rites conducted by the 185th Air Refueling Unit. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a parish vigil service at 7 p.m., at Christy-Smith Larkin Chapel.

Ernie was born March 22, 1922, in Somerville, Mass., the son of Daniel and Julia (Hudson) Grant. He was raised in Somerville and graduated from Somerville High School. In May 1941, he helped his team win the Massachusetts State high school baseball title.

A few months later, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. He flew 13 missions over France in a B-17 as a top turret gunner. On that mission another plane took anti-aircraft fire and crashed into his plane sheering off the tail section. Only he and one other man survived the crash. He parachuted in among German troops and was hidden by the French underground for many months. During that time, he captured six German soldiers and received a letter of commendation from the French underground for his actions.

After the war, he returned to Sioux City, where he married Dorothy Mae Bellinger on Oct. 28, 1946. He played semi-pro baseball for the Boston Braves. The New York Giants, who had a farm team in Sioux City, tried to acquire his contract but was unsuccessful in their bid. He later played for the Nebraska semi-pro baseball league and was a major player for the Pender Nebraska team. The couple moved to Sioux City and he went to work for Swift Packing Plant. He was employed at Swift in 1949 when the plant had a large explosion, 21 of his co-workers were killed, but he survived. He then went to work for the Swanson, Gilmore and Carroll Commission Company at the Sioux City Stockyards. He worked there for many years until his retirement. Dorothy died June 26, 2002, after 56 years of marriage.

He was a longtime member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church.

He is survived by two sons and their wives, Gary and Connie of New Franken, Wis., and Rick and Terri of Sioux City; a daughter and her husband, Suzi and Don Pitkin of Sioux City; nine grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews in Massachusetts.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; a son, Larry; and two brothers, Danny and Bob Grant.

Pallbearers will be Keith Welcher, Dave Sabag, Dean Elsbecker, Larry "Rabbit" Doeschot, Jim Scholten and Dan Bousquet. Honorary pallbearers will be Bob Roe, Ralph Myers, Fred Lennon, Frank Fitch, Ted Albracht, Dr. Paul Fee, Todd Raasch, Cain Grant, Robert Temple, Ed Nottle and John Grant.