To request a copy of this photo for your own personal use, please contact our state coordinator. If you are not a family member or the original photographer — please refrain from copying or distributing this photo to other websites.
Thank you for visiting the Arkansas Gravestone Photo Project. On this site you can upload gravestone photos, locate ancestors and perform genealogy research. If you have a relative buried in Arkansas, we encourage you to upload a digital image using our Submit a Photo page. Contributing to this genealogy archive helps family historians and genealogy researchers locate their relatives and complete their family tree.
Submitted: 11/9/22 • Approved: 11/9/22 • Last Updated: 11/12/22 • R1457642-G1456859-S3
Anthony 16 May 1923 – 29 Jan 2016
Gladys 17 Jan 1926 - 26 Feb 2022
Marriage: 05 Jul 1952
Anthony Meryl Grasse, MD the son of Anthony Myers Grasse and Lillian (Landis) Grasse. Gladys (Landis) Grasse daughter of Ephraim Moyer Landis and Mamie (Baum) Stover Landis.
**obituary
Anthony Meryl GRASSE, M.D.
16 May 1923 – 29 Jan 2016
Anthony Meryl Grasse, MD, passed away peacefully in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania on Friday, January 29, 2016 at the age of 92. Born May 16, 1923, in Chalfont, PA to the late Anthony Myers Grasse and Lillian (Landis) Grasse.
Dr. Grasse was an accomplished physician in family practice, surgery, obstetrics & gynecology, dedicated to healthcare service. He lived most of his life in Calico Rock, Arkansas, from 1952 to 2015. Dr. Grasse retired from being a physician at the age of 88, having delivered at least three generations of babies over his medical career.
Meryl was the husband of Gladys (Landis) Grasse, a nurse, for 63 years. In addition to his wife, he is survived by six children – four daughters, Karen Grasse of Philadelphia, PA; Chloe Grasse & husband Linford Martin of Greencastle, PA; Carol Grasse of Boulder, CO; Gwendolyn Grasse & husband Steve Voran of Boulder Co; two sons, Joel Grasse & wife Susan of Rogers, AR; Mark Grasse of Dallas, TX; five grandchildren. Joseph Grasse and wife Angela of Omaha, NE; Joshua Grasse and wife Dana of Spokane, WA; Hannah and Mariah Martin of Greencastle, PA; and Elleanna Voran of Boulder, CO; two great-grandchildren, Jayden and Olivia Grasse of Omaha, NE; two brothers, Willard Grasse & wife Gladys of Chalfont, PA; Warren Grasse & wife Linda of Telford, PA; two brothers were previously deceased, John Grasse (deceased 2005) and Alvin Grasse (deceased 2015). John is survived by his wife Mary Margaret of Calico Rock, AR, and Alvin is survived by his wife Ruth of Lacombe, Alberta, Canada.
Dr. Grasse graduated from Souderton High School in Bucks County, PA. He graduated with a BA from Goshen College, Goshen IN in 1943, where he was editor of the Maple Leaf, the college yearbook. In 1947, he received an MD from Hahnemann Medical College in Philadelphia, PA; he interned at St. Luke’s Hospital in Philadelphia, PA, in 1948. From 1948 to 1951, he served in overseas medical work in Ethiopia and Indonesia with the Mennonite Church. When he returned to the United States in 1951, he spent one year in surgery residency at York Hospital, York, PA. After his marriage to Gladys Landis in July 1952, they moved to Calico Rock, in August 1952. Meryl had previously visited the area of Culp and Calico Rock as a potential location to establish a medical practice based on the local healthcare needs, which influenced his decision to locate in Calico Rock. The Mennonites had set up a school and clinic in Culp and were looking for a physician to serve in the area. Dr. Meryl and Gladys, with Meryl’s brother John L. Grasse and his wife Mary Margaret, as a team effort, set up a medical clinic for outpatient care in Calico Rock in 1952. Meryl was active in the Mennonite Church in Arkansas, and was a founding member of Calico Rock Mennonite Fellowship.
In 1956, the Izard County Hospital in Melbourne closed suddenly leaving the county without a hospital. Since there were signs that it might not open again, Dr. Grasse decided to build the Medical Center of Calico Rock, a 10-bed hospital and clinic on twelve acres of land he had purchased and it opened in 1959. Throughout the years, there were several additions to the original hospital building to a total of 22 beds. Dr. Grasse and shareholders of the hospital donated the hospital to the community and created a not-for-profit organization with a Community Advisory Board of Directors. The hospital was renamed the Community Medical Center of Izard County.
In 1964 to 1966, Dr. Meryl and Gladys moved to Nigeria, West Africa with their six children, to work at the Akahab-Abiriba Joint Hospital and in rural healthcare. Meryl loved to travel with his wife and family, exploring many different areas of the world. He was an avid reader, gardener, and farmer in addition to his medical work and he was a lifelong learner.
During his life, Dr. Grasse received many awards acknowledging his dedication to healthcare served: Distinguished Service Award, Arkansas Hospital Association; Allen Esh Award from Mennonite Health Association (joint award with John L. Grasse, Meryl’s brother); Culture for Service Award, Goshen College, IN (joint award with John L. Grasse, Meryl’s brother); Retired Teachers Association for Health Care in Izard County (joint award with Dr. Harold Tatum of Melbourne). He was a member of the White River Agency on Aging for three years, and Calico Rock City Council for 25 years (1967 – 1993). He was awarded a Key to the City of Calico Rock in 2015.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations should be sent in honor of: Dr. A. Meryl Grasse Memorial Hospital Fund, Community Medical Center of Izard County, C/O Kim Skidmore CEO, PO Box 438, Calico Rock, AR 75219.
A celebration of life service is planned for Saturday, February 27, 2016 in Calico Rock. The location and time will be determined soon.
Cards and condolences may be sent to: 1500 Northfield Drive, Apt #1215, Chambersburg, PA. 17201.
Obituary provided through the White River Current published 04 Feb 2016.
The photo was obtained through the courtesy of Karen L. Grasse.
(Note: The original memorial for Dr. Grasse with a temporary grave marker picture had the middle name misspelled as Merle. The correct spelling in Meryl. This permanent gravestone was installed in the cemetery on July 9, 2018.)
Originally Contributed on 7/9/18 by maxparnell Record #: 1229634
And that of his wife,
Dugan Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. Website Shippensburg, PA
Gladys Landis Grasse passed away peacefully in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania on Saturday, February 26, 2022, at the age of 96. She was born January 17, 1926, in Blooming Glen, PA to the late Ephraim Moyer Landis and Mamie (Baum) Stover Landis. She was united in marriage to Anthony Meryl Grasse, MD, on July 5, 1952, in Blooming Glen, PA where they both grew up in the Blooming Glen Mennonite Church. Gladys was an accomplished Registered Nurse (RN, BS) and was dedicated to healthcare service throughout her life. She lived most of her life in Calico Rock, Arkansas, from 1952 to 2015, where she helped to found rural medical clinics, a hospital and a church.
Gladys graduated in the Class of 1943 from Souderton High School in Bucks County, PA. She graduated with an RN degree from Grandview Hospital Nursing School in 1946, and a BS from Goshen College, Goshen, IN in 1949. She spent time at the historic Pennsylvania Hospital and Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia, PA as part of her nurses training. She worked at Grandview Hospital for a year after receiving her RN degree and then with Dr. Paul Nace’s clinic in Souderton, PA after college graduation.
After Gladys’ marriage to Anthony Meryl Grasse on July 5, 1952, they moved to Calico Rock, Arkansas in August 1952, where they raised six children. Meryl had previously visited the area of Culp and Calico Rock as a potential location to establish a medical practice based on the local healthcare needs, which influenced their decision to locate in Calico Rock. The Mennonites had already set up a school and clinic in Culp, Arkansas, and were looking for a physician to serve in the area. Dr. Meryl and Gladys, with Meryl’s brother, John L. Grasse and his wife Mary Margaret, as a team effort, set up a medical clinic for outpatient care in Calico Rock in 1952. Gladys was a founding and active member of the Calico Rock Mennonite Fellowship.
In 1956, the Izard County Hospital in Melbourne, AR closed suddenly leaving the county without a hospital. Dr. Meryl and Gladys decided to build the Medical Center of Calico Rock, a 10-bed hospital and clinic on twelve acres of land they had purchased, and the hospital opened in 1959. During the interim period after the hospital in Melbourne closed, Gladys took care of obstetrics patients, mothers and new babies, in the basement clinic in their house in Calico. Dr. Meryl and Gladys set up a temporary hospital, the ‘Little White House’, in a two-bedroom home, where they included a small operating room for surgeries and the delivery of babies. In the new hospital, Gladys worked in the operating room. Gladys worked with Dr. Meryl and the architects to plan and design the new hospital, including subsequent hospital remodeling projects through 2007. Throughout the years, there were several additions to the original hospital building to a total of 22 hospital beds. Gladys founded the Hospital Auxiliary for the Medical Center of Calico Rock and served as president for many years.
In 1964 to 1966, Gladys and Dr. Meryl Grasse, moved to Nigeria, West Africa with their six children, to work at the Akahaba- Abiriba Joint Hospital and in rural healthcare. They also taught courses to midwives at the hospital.
Gladys loved to travel with her husband and family, exploring many different areas of the world. She was an avid reader, a great cook, and entertained many guests in her home for dinners, holidays and overnight stays. There were often medical residents, medical and nursing students from the University of Arkansas for the Medical Sciences (UAMS), Little Rock, AR, who stayed in her home during training rotations at the hospital in Calico Rock. Gladys entertained many international visitors they met through travels abroad and she learned to prepare foods from many different cultures. Gladys was an extraordinary organizer of projects at home, with family, for travel, for church, and for the hospital and clinics.
Gladys is survived by her six children: four daughters and two sons, Karen Grasse of Philadelphia, PA; Joel Grasse (Susan) of Rogers, AR; Mark Grasse of Dallas, TX; Chloe Grasse (Linford Martin) of Greencastle, PA; Carol Grasse (Abe Melendez) of Niwot, CO; Gwendolyn Grasse (Steve Voran) of Boulder, CO; five grandchildren, Joseph Grasse (Angela) of Omaha, NE; Joshua Grasse (Hannah Fall) of Spokane, WA; Hannah Martin (Clay Cordell) of Broadway, VA; Mariah Martin (Jonathan Augsburger) of Albuquerque, NM; and Elleanna Voran of Boulder, CO; two great-grandchildren, Jayden and Olivia Grasse of Omaha, NE and one brother, Ray Landis (Francis) of Goshen, IN. Gladys was preceded in death by her husband, Meryl; brother, Roy Landis and sister, Marian Martin. Roy is survived by his wife, Joan of Souderton, PA. Marian’s husband, John, is deceased.
Professional services are entrusted to Dugan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., Shippensburg. A Celebration of Life Service is being planned for Saturday, May 7, 2022, in Calico Rock, Arkansas.
Cards and condolences may be sent to: Karen Grasse, 1900 JFK Blvd. Apt.1315, Philadelphia, PA 19103. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations may be sent in honor of ‘Gladys Grasse’ to Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), PO Box 500, Akron PA 17501 or https://donate.mcc.org/.
(Photo courtesy of Karen Grasse. Karen Grasse indicated that arrangements were completed on November 3, 2022, for the death date to be inscribed on the gravestone and that the inscription should be completed within three months.)
Contributed on 11/9/22 by maxparnell
Email This Contributor
Suggest a Correction
Record #: 1457642