Edward R. - Age 94 - Los Alamos Grilly

EDWARD R. (ED) GRILLY, Ph.D., age 94, Thursday, October 25, 2012. Beloved husband of the late Juliamarie (nee Langham) and the late Mary (nee Witholter); loving and cherished father of Janice Carey and David (Debra); dearest grandfather of Angela Keller (David), Brian Carey (Thao) and Melinda Perez (Daren); dear great-grandfather of Samantha and Troy Carey, and Max Perez; dearest brother of Ernest and dear uncle of Gloria Imburgia (James); loving companion of Helen Benson. Memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 2:00 pm. at Aspen Ridge Lodge located at 1010 Sombrillo Court in Los Alamos.\r\n Dr. Grilly earned his bachelor's degree in 1940 and Ph.D. in 1944 in chemistry from Ohio State University. Although he spent most of his career working in physics, his love for both disciplines led him to make generous gifts to both departments at Ohio State, including a scholarship used to fund physics majors. After Dr. Grilly earned his Ph.D., he worked at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and then the University of New Hampshire until he was offered a job in low temperature physics at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. He officially retired in 1980, but worked there until 1995 as a consultant with a group developing a method of fusion power.\r\nEd Grilly arrived in Los Alamos on Sept. 11, 1947. In an interview of Ed in 2002, he said, "The work seemed very interesting, so I came out here, at least for a trial. Well, the trial has lasted 55 years." Ed and his wife Mary raised their two children, David and Janice, in Los Alamos. After Mary died of cancer, Ed later married Julie Langham, whose husband, Wright, was killed in 1972 when a Ross flight en route to Los Alamos crashed.\r\nThroughout his stay in Los Alamos, Ed was active in the community and in politics. Ed was Chairman of the United Way campaign in 1972 when the goal was raised from $65,000 to $125,000, "we met out goal by parceling out the jobs and keeping after people," Ed said. He was elected to serve in New Mexico House of Representatives in 1966 and 1968. Locally, he served as block worker, ward, and district chairman, and on the County Republican and State Central Committee. Fallout Shelter Management, The Los Alamos Golf Association, RSVP, and Kiwanis are some of the other organizations that benefited from Ed's involvement. Throughout his life, Ed was an avid golfer and was able to achieve every golfer's dream of shooting one's age when he shot a 71 at the age of 72 at Los Alamos Golf Club.\r\nIn Fall, 2002, Ed was selected as a "Living Treasure of Los Alamos".\r\nEd's family would like to thank the staff of Aspen Ridge and Sombrillo for their care of Ed over the past few years. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that friends make a donation to Sombrillo Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.\r\nThe family of Edward R. (Ed) Grilly has entrusted their loved one to DeVargas Funeral Home & Crematory of the Española Valley. 505-662-2400

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