Jay Gruebele, 57, of Bismarck, passed away October 20, 2022.
A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, October 25, 2022, at Legacy United Methodist Church, Bismarck, ND. Burial will follow at the Fairview Cemetery, Bismarck. Family will be receiving friends one hour prior to the service. A livestream of the service will be available on the church website.
Jay Darren Gruebele was born July 21, 1965, to Laurence and Doris Gruebele. He lived most of his life in Bismarck. Growing up, Jay enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. His hobbies included riding his unicycle, playing his trumpet, and fixing up old cars. Jay also spent many hours working at the family grocery store.
Jay’s daughter, Jayla, was his greatest joy. In Jayla’s childhood, one of their favorite things to do was play with Jay’s K9 partner, Justice. As Jayla grew, Jay loved watching her play basketball, and frequently reminded her to always give 110 percent. Jay was so proud of her academic accomplishments and the beautiful woman she grew to be.
Blessed are the Peacemakers. Jay was a peacemaker all of his professional life. He started his career in law enforcement with the Jamestown Police Department where he was Jamestown’s first K9 handler. After Jamestown, Jay worked briefly in Minneapolis, and then returned home to Bismarck and began work at the Mandan Police Department. He especially liked his time in investigations. In 2014, Jay accepted a Captain’s position with the Morton County Sheriff’s Office, and later he moved to the Morton County State’s Attorney’s Office. A highlight of Jay’s career was attending the FBI National Academy in 2018.
In addition to his law enforcement career, Jay started a successful trucking company after moving back to Bismarck. At the peak of the business, the company ran five trucks. Most Saturdays, Jay could be found tinkering on one of his trucks. When he wasn’t busy with his business, Jay loved to cruise on his Harley Davidson motorcycle.
Jay and Lisa started building their life together in 2011 and married in 2016. Traveling was one of their favorite pastimes. They also enjoyed bluegrass concerts and the Bismarck Mandan Symphony Orchestra. Many summer evenings Jay and Lisa would take their beloved rescue dog Lucy to Harmon Lake or a boat ramp along the Missouri River to swim.
Jay had a “Dad Joke” sense of humor, and loved to make those close to him laugh even if it included an eye roll. He was quick to lend a helping hand, and was an all-around bright light to everyone around him. Jay’s life calling was to shield those he loved and his community from the darkness in this world.
Jay is survived by his daughter Jayla Cote (Alexander) and their daughter Harper Rae; his wife Lisa and their Lucy; his parents Laurence and Doris Gruebele; his sister Cindy Ibach (Fred); multiple nephews and nieces; and his countless brothers and sisters in blue.