OFFICER DAN C. GROBEE

ID 4492

SDPD 03/16/1989 - 06/01/1991

11/21/1944 - 05/24/2023

THE THIN BLUE LINE

Dan Charles Grobee, 78, of Holly Springs, North Carolina, passed away on Wednesday, May 24, 2023, at his home, after a courageous battle with cancer. Dan was born in Grand Island, Nebraska to the late Fred Carroll Grobee and Carol Lea (Campbell) Grobee.

In 1953 his family moved to Garden Grove, California, where he flourished both athletically and academically, graduating from Garden Grove High School in 1962. He went on to earn an AA from Santa Ana College (1968). While in attendance there, he received the school’s Man of the Year award in 1967. He later continued his education at Cal State Fullerton earning a BA in Criminal Justice (1980).

Dan made his career in law enforcement, beginning as a Corrections Officer in California. He also worked as a San Diego Police Officer and with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department before moving to Arizona to work in Corrections at a state Supermax prison. He ended his career back in San Diego working for Corrections Corporation of America, where his last job title was as a counselor. Dan retired in 2012 after decades of service, fulfilling his commitment to always help others.

He initially met the love of his life, Pam Russell, in 1979, but it would be more than 17 years before their paths crossed again. Upon that chance second meeting, they quickly fell in love, were married in 1998, and remained devoted to each other ever since.

A lifelong athlete, Dan played baseball when he was young, and as an adult switched to his main passion—volleyball! As a Class A player, he won several tournaments. Overall he played, coached, and refereed volleyball for more than 50 years.

Dan never met a person he didn’t like. As he traveled with his wife, Pam, during her networking career, he met hundreds of people from all around the world, each new acquaintance becoming a friend. He was a kind, gentle man and truly cared for every one of those friends. And all of those people felt blessed to know him and loved him in return.

Dan is survived by his loving wife of 25 years, Pam Russell, his two precious Yorkies, Baylee and Crissy, his mother, Carol Grobee (97), sister, Kaye DeVries Lucito and her husband Joe Lucito, niece Charlie DeVries, nephew Mark DeVries, his sister-in-law and her husband, Cindy and Randy Wright, his brother-in-law, Jay Russell, nieces and nephews Jimmy Wright (Callie), Greg Wright (Brett Gardner), Jennifer Ligon (Jeremy), Raquel Russell, grand-nieces and grand-nephews Jake and Gavin Wright, Max and Ruby Wright, Evvie Mae, Jack and Mabel Ligon, and cousins Bonnie Bodle, Scott and Mike Cline.

Pam and family would like to especially thank his “brothers from different mothers,” Ed Conroy (Nidia) and Cruz Mireles (Stella), for their friendship and love, his special friend, Vickie Bowie, for her love and support, and for his Holly Springs neighbors, Lee and Ashley Webber and their three amazing sons: Luke, Nathan and Benny. They “adopted” him as their “grand-Dan” when he moved to North Carolina, and they brought much joy and love to his final days.

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