Stephen McKean Gritton

Steve passed due to cancer complications on July 30, 2024. He was surrounded by his wife and children who miss him dearly.
Steve was born in Salt Lake City on September 17, 1941 to Earl and Helen Gritton. He had a gentle demeanor that sometimes hid his active mind and adventurous spirit. He was a whiz in math and loved anything mechanical. He built and raced his own roadster. He cobbled together a mountain bike before they were available in stores. And he was a designer for the scanner in the LANDSAT satellites that is now a part of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum.

Steve graduated from Highland High School. He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Perth, Australia. He studied mechanical Engineering at the University of Utah and then moved to California for graduate school at UCLA and to work at Hughes Aircraft.

He met his future wife, Bonnie Powelson, in Los Angeles when she fell for his beautiful German shepherd and then quickly discovered that Steve was pretty great too. They were married in the Salt Lake Temple on March 20, 1973.

Steve and Bonnie eventually returned to Utah with four children under five years old. Steve worked for Gritton and Associates where he served as president. At home he coached his children through science fairs and calculus while developing his signature dishes—Noodles McGoodles and Tuna Funa. He spent years as a Scout leader where he survived nights in snow caves and mountain bike trips to Moab. In his 70s, he finally splurged on a shiny black and yellow Camaro.

Steve is survived by his wife; his sister, Sherrie Thorpe; his children Christopher (Kristin), Jessica (Wendy), Keith (Andrea), and Lisa (Todd); and 16 grandchildren. We are all grateful that, through every twist and turn of our lives, we always knew how much he loved us and that he was proud of us.

Funeral services will be held on August 10, 2024 at the Granite View Stake Center, 9880 South 3100 East, at 11:30 a.m. A viewing will be held prior at 10:00 a.m. Interment to follow at Larkin Sunset Gardens, 1950 East Dimple Dell Road, Sandy, Utah.

The service will be livestreamed via Zoom and can be accessed by clicking the "Watch Services" button above.