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Senior in Action: Grant Rahn
Senior in Action:
Senior in Action:
Senior in Action:
Senior in Action:
Grant Rahn
Grant Rahn
Grant Rahn
Grant Rahn
By Marilee Marrero Stefenhagen My dad designed fire sprinkler systems. Dale
Grant Rahn and his wife Susan started their and I inherited my father’s inventiveness.
family-owned business, Rahn’s Furniture Dale travels the world installing custom-
Refinishing, LLC in 1976, the same year they designed butterfly enclosures and commercial
married. Grant had worked in the furniture greenhouses. My inventions exist in the shop,
refinishing industry since 1967, and such as the downdraft sanding table, which
graduated from CSU Fullerton with a degree keeps sawdust in check.”
in Interior Design. While his eyes lingered “My parents moved the family to Whittier
on Susan gracefully descending a staircase at when Dale and I were six months old. In high
church one day, Grant asked a friend, “Who’s school, Dale was a distance runner, and I
that girl?!” He courted her until she agreed played water polo. My teachers didn’t have
to marry him – a partnership that’s lasted 43 high hopes for my future; I was your classic
years and counting. bad boy. But I think they would eat their
words to see this business we’ve created to
help people restore their beloved furniture.”
“I still work in the shop; sanding, stripping,
finishing and building furniture. Susan
handles the books. We attend insurance
conventions to demonstrate custom restoration
and refinishing work we do to repair treasured
pieces that have been damaged by fire, flood or
moving.”
When asked about hobbies outside of
work, Grant smiled. He and Susan walk
5 miles a day. Grant is 67 and an avid
long-distance bicyclist, and has competed
for the past 29 years in the Solvang
Century Ride. His wife said Grant
postponed his second knee replacement
until two weeks after the Solvang cycling
event so as not to miss competing with
Photo: Grant with zebrawood table
his friends.
Susan is sous chef in the kitchen because
Grant and Susan have two children, and six Grant enjoys experimenting with meats
grandchildren. Son Nathan works full-time and fish at the stove, barbecue and
at Rahn’s Furniture Refinishing and holds a smoker. He just finished a ten-year
BS degree from Biola University in Business project of building a 1933 Ford pick-up
Administration Accounting. Their daughter from chassis and cab. Grant is an
Janelle and her family live in Massachusetts. exemplary Senior in Action!
Grant talked about his family. “My twin If you have been thinking about
brother Dale lives in Kansas City, and my older restoring or refinishing a family
brother David has a home in Newport Beach. My heirloom, contact Rahn’s Furniture
twin and I are both highly energized, like my mom. Refinishing at 562-921-4922 or check
She was a tough German gal, always busy. She them out on their website
was a prolific writer, and singing was her passion. www.rahnsfurniturerestoration.com
She and my dad moved from Wisconsin to Compton,
California when they grew tired of the snow. Mom
was an energetic Registered Nurse, and an
educator who taught nursing in downtown LA.

Photo: Grant Rahn with his tools Photo: (L-R) Nathan, Susan, Grant Rahn

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