James Howell Grutter passed away on December 7, 2023, at Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan, departing from the same place where he was born on December 21, 1941, to parents James Edward & Beatrice Marie (Howell) Grutter.

After surviving lymphoma in 2021, he was blessed to have two years of unexpected joy spending his time tooling around on his golfcart at East Lake Camping, chatting with friends, enjoying senior meals and games at Hopkins Methodist, meeting new members of the family, and traveling. At the end of his last trip visiting his family in Kansas, his kidney and liver disease took a sudden turn for the worse. In true character, he downplayed his struggles, and amazingly made the trip home to Michigan. The morning after his arrival home he was admitted to the hospital. There, two weeks short of his 82nd birthday, while surrounded by family, he passed quickly and peacefully from organ failure.

Jim lived a wonderful and honorable life. Everyone who knew Jim described him in similar terms: happy, jolly, chatty, kind, and loving. Quick with a smile and a joke for everyone.

He attended Creston High School, was an exceptional athlete in football and track, and graduated with honors in 1959. Jim played football at the University of Toledo on a full scholarship and graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering. He worked for several companies, before joining his father, mother, and brother at Grutter Machine Works.

Jim met Marilynn Frances Jones at church, and they were married on April 15, 1967. Jim and Marilynn had 3 children: Julie, Lisa, and Paul.

Jim retired from a long career in engineering and enjoyed tinkering on various projects in his shop. His greatest joys by far were spending time with family, especially for meals. He loved playing sports and games and rarely found anyone who could beat him at ping pong or chess. He spent endless hours playing games, reading, swimming in the pool, and attending various school and sporting activities involving his children and later his grandchildren Rachel, Jason, and McKenna Battjes, and Maxwell and Benton Grutter. He delighted in the births of his great granddaughters, Eloise Piper and Blakely James to grandson Jason and Samantha Battjes. Blakely James was born a few months ago and to Jim's disbelief, was named in his honor.

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, daughter-in-law Tracy Grutter, niece Ann Thompson Lindbloom, and wife Marilynn. He is survived by his sister Judy (Grutter) and David Thompson, brother William (Bill) and Debbie Grutter, his daughter Julie (Grutter) Paasche and Chris Schorre, his daughter Lisa (Grutter Battjes) and Dave DeLaat, his son Paul and Ashley Grutter, and his grandchildren and great grandchildren mentioned earlier as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, great nieces, great nephews, and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, December 16th at 1:00 p.m. at United Methodist Church in Hopkins, Michigan with a reception following.

Please share your memories of Jim with the family at Ofieldfuneralhome.com, Obituaries, Tribute wall.

In lieu of flowers, we would like to suggest donating to Hopkins United Methodist Church. (https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/615015.