‘He was like everyone’s uncle’: Henry Grandison, longtime KC mechanic, dies at 79

For over 40 years, Henry Grandison worked on hundreds of cars, many belonging to low-income families.

At Henry’s Garage, 5408 BlueParkway, he’d waive tow fees, set up payment plans or did not charge for labor to help customers get their cars back on the road.

“That was just the kind of man he was. It wasn’t about the money for him,” his great-nephew Casie Murff says.

“He really used his business to serve his community. He was always honest, reliable and willing to help customers who may be down on their luck or living paycheck to paycheck.”

Grandison, a retired mechanic, died Aug. 3 from kidney failure at 79.

Murff remembers his great-uncle as a loving husband, caring father and one of the most important role models in his life. Though Grandison was a stern man, Murff recalls his father taking him to visit the shop and seeing the kind way his great-uncle interacted with the community he served.

“I think that’s where I get my entrepreneurial spirit,” says Murff, 44, who owns The BeVel Barber Studio. “He was the first person who I saw own their own business and make me think it was possible.”

Originally from Waterproof, Louisiana, Grandison grew up with a talent for working with his hands, especially with cars. He moved to the Kansas City area in the mid-’70s, where he met his wife and mother of his six children, Bertha Mae.

Murff grew up seeing the old mechanic always striving to share his knowledge and mentor the youth around him.

“He was an incredibly strong man who took the initiative to become the role models to not just the men in our family but the men in the community,” Murff says. “He was old-school, so he was all about respect, handling business, how to talk to people and being a gentleman. He was like everyone’s uncle.”

The Aug. 12 funeral was filled with not only friends and family but also many of the people who were touched by Grandison’s kindness.

“It was crazy to see so many people there who all were saying how my uncle didn’t charge them on work or how he let them pay when they could,” says Murff. “It was touching to see how much of an impact he had on the lives of so many people through his work and how big of a heart he had.”

He is survived by his wife, Bertha Grandison; children, Vernice McKindra, Tammie Grandison, Tamiko Grandison, Marvin Miles, Joseph Ryan Jr. and Henry “OB” Grandison; and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, cousins, nieces and nephews.

Other remembrances

Floyd Crowley

Floyd Crowley, retired car salesman and mentor, died Aug. 17. He was 77.

Crowley was born on Jan. 12, 1946, to Jesse and Velma Crowley in Osceola, Missouri. He was the oldest of his parents’ three children, and after his father’s death, his mother remarried and had three additional children.

He was remembered as a people person who was always friendly and loved to make new acquaintances. Crowley had many hobbies growing up in Springfield, such as music, dancing, golf, bowling, baseball and boxing. He began mentoring youth in the Springfield area and started a little league team to keep kids off the street.

Crowley moved to Kansas City to open his own furniture business later in life. He owned Floyd’s Furniture Barn for 15 years. Crowley then began his career as a car salesman for several dealerships for the next 25 years until his retirement.

He is survived by his wife, Shannon Crowley; daughter, Teresa Crowley; siblings, Loraine Walton, Herley Bedell, Larry Bedell and Kenny Bedell; and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.

Ronald Jones

Ronald Jones, Air Force veteran and retired Ford Motor Co. worker, died Aug. 8. He was 72.

Jones was born on Sept. 2, 1950, to Melvin Grundy and Mae Clark in Los Angeles. His mother later married Manual Jones, who adopted her son, and the couple had two more children.

Jones left high school and joined the Air Force at 17, working for eight years as a flight engineer. Jones served in the Vietnam War and left with the rank of sergeant.

He enrolled at the University of Arkansas in Little Rock and joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., which helped him get involved with community service. Jones received a bachelor’s degree in marketing and worked for Southwestern Bell for over a decade before transitioning into a position for Ford Motor Co., where he retired in 2020 after 20 years.

He is survived by his wife, Cheryl Jones; children, Kevin, Nakia, Philip, Jimmy and Slyvia; and a host of grandchildren, nieces and nephews.