Leonard M Grassli
1930-2021
Leonard M Grassli, well-known landscape architect from Utah, died peacefully on July 7, 2021 at home in St. George, Utah, with his wife and daughters by his side. He was 91.
Leonard was born on March 27, 1930 in Grabs, Switzerland, to Leonhard and Anna Eggenberger Grassli. He was the second of three children and the only son. The family moved to Basel, Switzerland, where Leonard grew up and received his early education. He completed his professional degree in landscape architecture in Geneva.
He converted to Latter-day Saints in 1955, and in 1957 immigrated to the United States and was hired by landscape architect Leon Frehner in Salt Lake City, Utah. He later joined the Provo Landscape Company (PLC) in Provo, Utah. Two years later he married Michaelene Packer on July 28, 1961 at the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple. In 1962 they moved from Provo to Ogden. There Leonard opened a branch of PLC, which was eventually sold. He and John Maas founded Maas and Grassli Landscape Architects and moved the office to Salt Lake City, where it later became MGB + A The Grassli Group. Her company designed many notable public spaces in Utah and Intermountain West, including the 83-acre Thanksgiving Point master plan, Utah Valley University master plan, Weber State University campus map, and the Utah State Capitol site redesign. They have received more than 40 national and state design awards over the years. In 1996 he received the coveted award as a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects.
Leonard remained devoted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many callings including bishop, stake high counselor, stake executive secretary, and missionary in Switzerland with his wife. He claimed that his favorite calling, besides being a bishop, was Primary teachers for eleven and twelve year olds, whom he taught for nine years. He was particularly active in family history research and temple work for his ancestors. He loved swimming, and he and Michaelene shared a love of classical music, travel, and painting.
Leonard often said that his proudest accomplishment was his happy family consisting of his wife Michaelene and their three daughters Jane Anne Woodhead (Steven) with their children Marie Bradburn (Kurt), Michael Woodhead (Kimberly), Marlies Hill (Dillon). and Mitchell Woodhead (Morgan); Susan Andersen (Daniel) with her children Jackson (Tahlia), Maxwell and Alexandra; and Sara Chugg (David) with their children Audrey, Andrew (Alicia) and Austin. There are currently eleven great-grandchildren.
The family thanks for the loving and attentive care of Dr. Michael Codiga as well as Laura, Lisa, Melissa, Crystal and Reuben and everyone at Canyon Hospice in St. George, Utah.
The family will greet friends at Myers Mortuary in Ogden on Sunday, July 11th from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. A funeral service for family and friends will be held on Monday, July 12 at 9:00 am at North Ogden Cemetery, 526 East 2850 North, Ogden, Utah. Friends are invited to make donations on his behalf to the Perpetual Immigration Fund or Humanitarian Fund of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The funeral will be broadcast live. Scroll to the end of Leonard’s obituary on Monday, July 12, 2021 at 9:00 a.m., www.myers-mortuary.com, where condolences can also be offered to the family. If you cannot see at this time, the service will be available on the Myers Mortuary website indefinitely.
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