Grant Philip Wirtanen

IRONWOOD, Mich. - Grant Philip Wirtanen, of Ironwood, died on Saturday morning, May 11, 2019.

Grant was born in Houston, on Sept. 8, 1980. In his youth, he had lived in a variety of additional cities including Naperville, Ill., Wausau, Wis., and Southlake, Texas. Subsequent to his school years, he trained to be a professional chef, attending the Cordon Bleu Culinary Institute in Chicago.

Grant worked in a number of restaurants throughout the country from Boston to Vail. He developed his chef skills as he progressed. His meals were always a treat for the palates of those lucky enough to sample them.

He had a great ability to make friends wherever he was. He loved cooking, music, gardening and reading. On the sports side, he was an excellent skier and had lived in the shadow of Vail Mountain in Colorado for a number of years. He also enjoyed fishing and spent many good family hours seeking the walleyes of Lake Gogebic.

Grant was quite active with the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan. Also, he had worked on a number of projects with the Lake Gogebic Improvement Association. He was always willing to contribute effort and time.

Grant is survived by his parents, Philip and June (Exworthy) Wirtanen, of Lake Gogebic; sisters, Wendy (Timothy) Evans, of Naperville, and Erika (Bradford) Pokorski, of Yorkville, Ill .; nephew, Alex Evans; and nieces, Emily Evans, Siiri Strebel and Beatrice Strebel; as well as numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

A memorial service is being planned for a future date to allow family and friends to gather to celebrate Grant's life.

Memorials may be made to the Epilepsy Foundation of Michigan or to the Memorial Fund of St. Paul Lutheran Church of Ironwood in Grant's name.

Grant was an important and special person to his family. His smiles, quick wit and kind heart will be truly missed. Our faith is certain that he has gone home to join his beloved grandparents. Godspeed son, brother, nephew, cousin and friend.

Jerald Rocco, owner and manager of Lakeside Memorial Chapel Inc., in Wakefield, is assisting the family. Online condolences may be made at lakesidememorialchapel.com.