Paul Grna passes away 2020

 

 

 

 

 

 

Former BJ Librarian Paul Grna, Jr., who retired from the mailroom packaging department, passed away.

 

Paul was the widower of Judy Hazlinger Grna. They were married for 49 years and spent nearly all that time on Jonathon Avenue in Akron. Paul was the guy with the black beard. Judy was the redheaded love of his life.

 

After the BJ Paul became night manager/auditor for Econo Lodge Akron East.

 

He is a Garfield High graduate who went on to the University of Akron.

 

Paul Grna, Sr., Paul’s father, was in the BJ mailroom for 35 years. The Paul we knew in the BJ Library was a third-generation family member to work at 44 E. Exchange Street. His grandfather, Joe Grna, Sr., came to the BJ after coming from Yugoslavia in the early 1900s to be a driver for the Akron Times, which the Knight family later absorbed into its Beacon operation. Joe drove a Model-T Touring car and an open-cab Ford truck that he owned.

 

By the time the BJ began providing trucks for its men, Grandpa Joe had two other men working for him to get the papers to the suburban counties. He retired in 1972 after 42 years of driving Akron newspapers to their appointed dropoffs.

 

Paul’s stepmother, Joan E. Grna, passed away in 2008 at the age of 78. The Akron native retired from Firestone after 34 years there. She was a golfer who regularly attended St. Mary Catholic Church where she worked in the church office once a week. Joan’s brothers were Ralph and Richard Young.

 

Judy was predeceased by her parents, Pauline and Frank Hazlinger.