September 23, 1962 – January 12, 2023
Marc Gilles Louis Grandbois was born in Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec and grew up in Chatham, Ontario until he accompanied his parents on assignment to Kamsar, Guinea then Edea, Cameroon. These early experiences earned him an open view of the world and led to relationships that lasted through his life.
He attended Colorado Rocky Mountain School outside of Carbondale for his senior year of high school, which only whet his appetite for the outdoors. After a year at the University of Montana in Missoula, he was drawn back to Carbondale and it remained his core community for the rest of his life.
Gregarious, jovial, and kind, Marc was a well-loved figure in the community. With his ex-wife, Rebecca Young, he raised two sons — Michael, whose disability called for a special sort of parenthood — and William, both of whom he loved fiercely.
He was a KDNK disc jockey from the station’s early days, hosting blues/rock show “Black and Blue” on Wednesday nights for many years. Even when he was off the air, he was a constant listener and frequent caller. He had an insatiable appetite for live music and was a regular at local performances.
A self-proclaimed motorhead, he was known by many as a salesman at Bighorn and Berthod Motors, and later Napa Auto Parts. In his off-hours, he spent a lot of time collecting and tinkering with bicycles, both for getting around himself and gifting to others.
Marc lived in the present and never hesitated to share what little he had. A lifelong struggle with alcohol brought both challenges and new connections in his later years. He made many friends through Alcoholics Anonymous and The Retreat Recovery Center in Minnesota.
He died in his Glenwood Springs home on Jan. 12 while trying to get back on the wagon. He was preceded in death by his father, Louis, and is survived by his sons, his mother Aline, and sister Chantal.
The Brown Baggers AA group will host an open remembrance at 1:30 p.m. Jan. 28 at First United Methodist Church in Glenwood Springs, and a broader celebration of life will be held at 1:30 p.m. April 2 at the Third Street Center in Carbondale. Donations can be made in his memory to KDNK Community Access Radio or A Way Out, Inc.