Dr. Grabill

Today I am sad. The assistant principal at Xenia Christian my last three years there, “Dr. Dan” Grabill, died yesterday. Dr. Dan had about the driest sense of humor I’ve been around. He would leave the office and say “See you next week.” The secretaries would get flustered because they didn’t know he would be gone for a few days. He’d look back, smile, and say, “That doesn’t mean I won’t see you tomorrow too.”

He was helpful. Dr. Dan was always willing to help covering administrative duties at athletic functions. That really meant a lot to me who couldn’t be multiple places at once and who was putting in 60+ hours weekly.

He loved the students. That was evident by his involvement in their activities and his interactions with them but more importantly by his prayers for them.

Dr. Dan was a spiritual giant. In teachers meetings/devotions and in many, many discussions I don’t remember him saying, “My opinion is” or “I think”. Dr. Dan knew the Bible so well that he could gently say, “That reminds me of…” or “That makes me think of. . .” and then quote a Scripture reference and verse. He could so easily turn the thought back to the Bible in such a non-pious way.

The day I received a job offer in Michigan, he was the only administrator I could reach. I went to his home, and he and his wife, Joan, discussed it with me and prayed about the situation. I don’t think he wanted me to leave, but he was supportive of me.

Another thing he often said was “I’ve quit voting.” After the shocked expressions of his audience he’d say, “I’ve quit voting in the morning if I’m going to get up and read the Bible and walk.” I’ve made up my mind I will do that, and there’s no voting about it when I wake up. I got to admit I think about Dr. Dan when I vote, roll over, hit the snooze, and go back to sleep for another five minutes.

Dr. Grabill was sick for a couple of years and recently had a stem cell replacement therapy. While his CaringBridge update said he was having some liver issues, I didn’t realize it was as serious as apparently it was.

I can imagine the twinkle in Dr. Grabill’s eye when he entered heaven and heard, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”