Grant Thomas Gaer was born August 27th, 2002 at Jennie Edmundson Hospital in Council Bluffs, IA. He was welcomed into the world by his parents (Greg and Tanya Gaer), and older sister (Grace Gaer), extended family and friends. Grant grew up in Irwin, IA surrounded by a community of people who loved watching him grow. Grant enjoyed the small town life, his childhood best friends being kids in the neighborhood.
Grant attended elementary through high school at IKM-Manning school district. Grant enjoyed socializing with his classmates, teachers, and friends while at school. He had a wonderful environment to grow and learn. During his high school years he was in choir, golf, speech, plays, musicals and many other activities. During the summers in high school Grant worked with his dad and grandpa for the family business, Irwin Improvement, shingling houses and home improvement projects. Grant graduated from IKM-Manning High School with the class of 2021.
After high school Grant wasn’t sure what to do in life, but he knew he wanted to live life to the fullest. The summer of 2021 Grant attended Midwest Bible Camp as a camper and was persuaded by camp friends to apply to York College (University) and attend that fall. Grant attended York College in the fall of twenty-twenty-one. Grant was a part of the men’s golf team, York College Concert Choir, and Celebration Singers. At college he grew in his faith. Just like in grade school and high school Grant enjoyed the social aspect of college, meeting new people and loving on them. He attended one semester. Grant had more lives to touch and decided to come back home and work full-time at Conductix Inc. in Harlan, IA. There he began the work of bringing joy to his co-workers.
At 20 years old he lived everyday like it is his last and to the fullest. Grant was on the fast-track of life. He checked off his bucket list, buying his dream car, hiking mountains, even skydiving and loving everyone in his life. If he had a goal in mind he made it happen. Grant had a special compassion for all people no matter their age, abilities, or how different they were from him. His smile lit up a room and joy emanated from him.
Most importantly Grant loved Jesus. He loved his church family and God’s people. Grant was an active member of the Harlan Church of Christ. Grant was a spiritual leader and dedicated his life to Christ and was baptized at age eleven.
On Thursday, March 9th at age twenty, Grant life was taken in an automobile accident a mile outside of Irwin, IA. Grant is survived by his parents (Greg and Tanya Gaer), sister (Grace Gaer), grandparents (Tom and Dianna Gaer, Cinda Ekstrom), aunts and uncles (Karissa and Dave Sears, Brooke and Daniel Esktrom, Shane Haushen, Deb and Myron Ottema), girlfriend (Audrey Mohorn), many cousins, great-aunts and uncles, a close church family, friends, and many others who loved him and whom he loved. Grant is preceded in death by grandpa (Vern Ekstrom), great-grandparents and his cousin, Ryan VonHolt.
Funeral Services will be Wednesday, March 15th at 2PM at the Pauley Jones Funeral Home in Harlan. Visitation will be Tuesday, March 14th from 5PM to 8PM at the funeral home. Burial will be at the Redline Cemetery in rural Harlan. The Pauley Jones Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
