Donald James Grubb Sr., co-founder the successful real estate business The Grubb Company, died unexpectedly Nov. 3 while vacationing with his wife in Palm Desert. He was 83.”He was an iconic guy in the Bay Area in the luxury real estate market,” said son D.J. Grubb of Piedmont, who now runs the company. “He created a trustworthy brand that survived the dot-com era, fluctuations of the business, and the franchises.”
Born Aug. 15, 1924, Donald Grubb was a lifelong Piedmont resident, and graduated from Piedmont High School in 1943. He served in the U.S. Air Force in the European theater from 1943 to 1946.
In 1949, he graduated from University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in business and insurance, his son said.
Mr. Grubb co-founded Grubb & Ellis Company, now a national franchise, in Oakland in the early 1960s.
In 1967, he co-founded The Grubb Company. D.J. Grubb describes it as a high-end, boutique residential real estate company in Oakland, Berkeley and Piedmont.
The business was a family affair.
“All the family has worked there, every single one of us,” said daughter Kara Wagner of Hawaii. She said he taught the family that working was the way of the world.
D.J. Grubb said his father as a conservative man, but with a feminist twist.
“Most of his employees were women who needed a career at some point in their lives,” he said. “He provided all the skills and education that they needed to be successful — and they
were successful.”
Mr. Grubb married Angela Wei Grubb 29 years ago. The two met when she was an agent. The couple created a blended family that was very close, Kara Wagner said.
Mr. Grubb traveled the globe with his wife, Ms. Wagner said. The avid photographer covered a wall in his house with photos from his trips to Africa, China, Europe, New Zealand, Hawaii and other spots.
At home, he was a devoted family man.
“He did all the grocery shopping and all the cooking, my mom was spoiled,” she said.
In addition to his son and daughter, Mr. Grubb is survived by wife Angela Wei Grubb; children Cameron D. Saber of Jackson, Dayna D. Grubb of Santa Barbara, and Charles K. Wong of San Francisco; 10 grandchildren; and two great grandchildren.
A celebration of life will be at 11 a.m. today at the Piedmont Community Hall, 711 Highland Ave., Piedmont.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Piedmont Historical Society, 358 Hillside Avenue, Piedmont, 94611 or to the American Lung Association of California, 1900 Powell Street, #800, Emeryville 94608.
By Katherine Pfrommer, InsideBayArea.com
