 
Headed West: in Memory of Curt "Webbie" Gran
By Ric Mellon, Executive Director, ABATE of Wisconsin
On Saturday June 16th 2012 the riding community
lost Curt Gran to a crash in North Dakota. The
news of his passing affects all of us deeply, and
we all stand beside his wife Cindy at this time of
deep sorrow.
Curt Gran will be forever remembered worldwide for
the contribution of his wit and humor to all lucky
enough to share time with him. There are very few
people who will ever achieve or surpass the
amazing legacy he created for motorcycling. His
passion and abilities are world renown in the long
distance riding community along with the
contributions and excellence he brought to the
motorcycle rights movement. His capabilities in
the field of information technology moved the
entire national rights organizations into the
digital age -- single handedly. Curt funded,
designed and maintained the ABATE of Wisconsin web
presence from the inception to just recently, and
was always available at many of the state
meetings.
We stand in silence in the shadow of his
accomplishments, the love he shared with his wife
Cindy and the passion for exploring North America
on two wheels. Curt is known worldwide for his
abilities and accomplishments among the Long
Distance Riding community as well as the many
contributions he made in his professional life
working in the field of medical technology.
I am reminded and will share with you a story that
I hold dear to my heart regarding the first time I
had the pleasure of meeting Curt many years ago.
While Curt and I talked about riding, and for
those that know Curt, he had penchant for
understating his accomplishments and skills as a
rider- I asked him if he had been on any rides
lately. In a quiet nonchalance that was his style,
he said he had been riding a weekend that had
recently passed. I asked him where he went, and in
a very short sentence, he said "no where
special, just a ride". I politely pried for
further explanation, and he said in Curt's
best "man of few words" style,
"well ... I headed west to the Rockies
and then I hung a left to Santa Fe". For
those that shared a friendship with Curt, you all
understand that Curt looked at the roads and
byways of all of North America as we look at our
own neighborhood.
Curt's many accomplishments are overshadowed
by the Love he had for Cindy and the friendship he
shared with all of us. A memorial service for Curt
was held in La Crosse on June 30.
(Members wishing to send condolences to
Curt's family may do so by sending a card to
The Gran Family, C/o ABATE of Wisconsin, 438 N
Water St, Black River Falls, WI 54615. All mail
addressed in that manner will be forwarded to
Cindy unopened.)
Wisconsin, Ric Mellon, Executive Director, ABATE of. "Headed West: in Memory of Curt "webbie" Gran." ABATE of Wisconsin Newsletter Jul. 2012.
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