Henry D. “Hank” Grunder

Henry “Hank” D. Grunder, 85, of Williamsburg, VA, passed away July 2, 2023, at the Convalescent Center at Patriots Colony where he had recently resided.
Henry was born in Medina, Ohio, the only child of Lillian Hetrick Grunder and Henry Dale Grunder, Sr. Exceptionally intelligent and highly educated, Henry earned his first degree, a BA in English, from Miami University in Ohio in 1959. After proudly scoring in the 99th percentile on the LSAT, Henry started law school in Michigan, but admitted to socializing more than studying. Eventually he earned a Master of Library Science degree from the University of Chicago, which led to his appointment as a curator of rare books in the Swem Library at the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg, VA. In 1988, Henry obtained a Doctorate in Education from W&M. He spent the remainder of his career working at the Library of Virginia in Richmond, VA, until his retirement in 2002.
Although Henry never married nor had children, he kept in close touch with many members of his extended family. He and his widowed mother, who lived with Henry in Williamsburg, returned to Ohio annually to decorate family graves and connect with relatives. After her death, Henry continued those trips until he was no longer able to travel. He especially enjoyed researching his family’s genealogy, traveling as far as Switzerland and Germany to visit distant relatives and family burial sites. Henry’s hobbies included watching news programs, reading, learning languages, eating Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, drinking dark beer, and discussing politics. He researched and collected ancient coins in his spare time. He had a keen sense of humor, and easily developed friendships with coworkers and neighbors. Henry was one of a kind, and he will be fondly remembered by cousins who live throughout the US and many friends in
Williamsburg who were like family to him.
Henry’s family would like to share appreciation for the years of care he received from the volunteers at Meals on Wheels, the staff of Charter Senior Living of Williamsburg, and the staff of Patriots Colony at Williamsburg. Also, the weeks of excellent support and comfort provided by the staff and volunteers of Riverside Hospice were a gift to his family and friends. Henry was blessed to have a wide network of people who cared for him.