Alice M. Grandon

Alice Minerva (Mathis) Grandon, age 89, of Paola, Kansas, passed away July 20, 2022 at her home. Alice was born September 30, 1932 in Kenneth, Kansas, the oldest of four children born to Elva (Slats) and Blanche Nickle Mathis. She graduated from Louisburg Rural High School in the Class of 1950. On October 15, 1950, she was united in marriage to Jerry Lee Grandon in Chiles, Kansas with the consent of Mrs. Roy Grandon. They originally made their home in Louisburg, Kansas where they welcomed their first child, Deborah. In 1951, they moved to the Paola area before establishing the Grandon farm in 1953 west of Paola. During this time they became the parents of Dennis (Janis), Steve (Daphne), Scott, and Rick (Jacque). Alice spent time working for Hume Music, mowed cemeteries for her father who served as a sexton for several graveyards in Miami and Johnson Counties, various public service jobs in the Paola area, but her most prideful job was as a homemaker for her husband and children. Outside of being a homemaker her second passion was music. Alice began accordion lessons at the age of 5 by riding the train with her mother to Martin City, Missouri. Even though she could read music, she was endowed with the gift of playing music by ear. This became a lifelong love of sharing her passion for music at various civic, private, and public events in the region. She never took compensation for this but simply did it for the love of people. Along with the accordion, she was proficient playing the piano and organ. A few of her hobbies included any activity outdoors, college basketball (mostly KU!), Royals, Chiefs, she was an AVID Paola Panthers fan and attending all her grandkids various activities. Alice was preceded in death by her parents, husband, sister JoAnn Hileman, and grandson Jason Grandon. Along with her five children, Alice is survived by her brother Clyde Mathis, sister Ada Gerlach, 15 grandkids, 34 great grandkids, and 3 great great grandkids. She was also "Grandma Alice" to numerous others in surrounding areas. Visitation: 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 26, 2022 at the First Baptist Church, 207 E. Wea, Paola, KS, 66071. Funeral: 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 27, 2022 also at the church with burial in the Paola Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for contributions to the Jason Grandon Memorial, c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 305 N. Pearl St., Paola, KS, 66071. To leave a special memory or condolences to the family of Alice please go to the share memory tab.