Grambo was ‘just a genuinely good person’
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Local leaders are remembering former Brandon city councillor, teacher and housing advocate Arnold Grambo, who died last week at age 85.
Grambo, who taught in the Brandon School Division and served for more than a decade as a councillor, passed away on March 22.
Mayor Jeff Fawcett, who was taught by Grambo at Crocus Plains Regional Secondary School, said his former teacher will be missed.
Arnold Grambo, pictured here in 2008 standing outside a new Habitat for Humanity build, was a major housing advocate with Habitat and later for Brandon Community Builders. Grambo died on March 22 at age 85. (Bruce Bumstead/The Brandon Sun files)
“Just a genuinely good person. I was always happy to have a discussion with him whenever I ran across him,” Fawcett said Monday.
“He was very active for a long, long time in the community, was a very active city councillor and very active in housing and sort of just always sharing his opinion and doing his work in the community.”
Grambo served as a city councillor from 1983 to 1991, and again from 1995 to 1998 in the Green Acres ward, according to a city spokesperson. He was also a major housing advocate with Habitat for Humanity and later for Brandon Community Builders.
“I always found him to be very kind, and I always was happy whenever I ran across him — sort of in the last number of years to share a few thoughts,” Fawcett said.
“He was always very kind, and he was always very supportive in discussion,” he added. “He’ll be remembered fondly, I’d like to believe.”
Grambo was born in Northern Light, Sask., and raised on a family farm, before moving to Brandon for university in 1959, according to his obituary.
Former Brandon East MLA Drew Caldwell, who also served as a councillor in the 1990s, said Grambo was someone that he looked up to as a young councillor.
“Arnold was an extraordinarily hard-working city councillor that really fearlessly represented his constituency and also fearlessly fought for the less fortunate in our community,” Caldwell said.
“His character was very much one that was full of integrity and full of the desire to help those who are less fortunate.
“It’s a sad loss for me.”
Caldwell said Grambo was “very inspirational” and someone who cared deeply about his community and making it better.
Caldwell also highlighted Grambo’s work in the school system and the United Church, saying he had strong faith and loved everyone.
“He dedicated his public life not to himself or to one interest group, but to this community as a whole and making it a better place for all of us who live in Brandon,” Caldwell said.
“His memory will definitely be a blessing.”
Many people in comments online attached to Grambo’s obituary also remembered him as a great teacher.
The Brandon School Division declined to respond to a request for comment, citing unavailability during spring break.
The Sun also didn’t hear back from Brandon’s Habitat for Humanity chapter on an interview request on Monday.
» alambert@brandonsun.com