Raymond Grashoff, 86, a retired Chicago Public Schools principal and an avid reader who rebound books for his local library, died Thursday, Feb.1, of a heart attack in Palm Harbor, Fla. Mr. Grashoff, a former Northwest Side resident, began his career with the Chicago Public Schools system as an industrial arts teacher at Senn High School. He became the school system’s industrial arts supervisor before becoming the principal of Jackson School in 1959. He later became principal of Nixon Elementary School. “He knew what the children were doing inside and outside the school,” said his wife, Arlene. “It was really like his family.” When Mr. Grashoff and his wife retired to Florida, he became a board member for his local library in Englewood, Fla. Rather than have the library spend money to rebind books, Mr. Grashoff agreed to rebind the books himself, his wife said. “On any given day, he could rebind 5 to 10 books. He was an avid reader and absolutely loved books,” Arlene Grashoff said. “That’s why he wanted to do it.” During World War II, Mr. Grashoff served as a gunnery officer on a ship stationed in the Pacific that transported prisoners and supplies. He also served as a volunteer in the Coast Guard Auxiliary. Besides his wife, survivors include a daughter, Holly Manning, and four grandchildren. Services were held in Florida.
