Merrill “Mel” L. Grile, 81, Sauk Rapids

March 19, 1940 - October 13, 2021

Memorial Services will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 23, 2021 at Williams Dingmann Family Funeral Home in Sauk Rapids for Merrill “Mel” L. Grile, age 81, who passed away Wednesday at his home. Rev. Timothy Routh will officiate and entombment will be at Hilltop Mausoleum in Sauk Rapids. Visitation will be one hour prior to the services.

Mel was born March 19, 1940 in Ft. Recovery, OH to Charles & Ada (Philebaum) Grile. His family moved to St. Cloud in 1950, he graduated from St. Cloud Tech High School, and attended Dunwoody Institute. Mel married Barbara Perry on July 16, 1960 at Salem Lutheran Church in St. Cloud. He was the owner/operator of Grile Auto & Truck Repair “GATR” until retiring in 2002. Mel was a member of the St. Cloud Vocational Technical College Board of Directors for many years, former member of the Sauk Rapids Rescue Squad/Civil Defense, and a member of the Hoodlum Car Club. He enjoyed cars, dirt track racing from Canada to Iowa, building hot rods, traveling, boating on Lake Superior on “Winter Hawk”, riding motorcycle, and spending time with family. Mel was quietly independent, creative, had a great mind, and was a creative inventor.

Survivors include his son, Perry (Cindy) Grile of Sauk Rapids; sisters, Charlene Brieland of Williston, ND and Carol Cook of Brookfield, MO; grandchildren, Eric (Katie) Zintek of Foley and Jonathan Zintek of Sauk Rapids; and great grandchildren, Ben, Brayden, Blake and Bradley. Mel was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Barbara on July 24, 2014; daughter, Donna on August 10, 2013; infant daughter, Sara; and brother, Ronnie Grile.