Brynhild Grasmoen
 Brynhild Grasmoen, from a 1947 newspaper | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 7, 1929 Merced, California, United States |
| Died | December 30, 2000 (aged 71) Merced, California, United States |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Alpine skiing |
Brynhild "Bee" Grasmoen (January 7, 1929 – December 30, 2000) was an American alpine skier. She competed in two events at the 1948 Winter Olympics.[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Grasmoen was born in Merced, California, the daughter of Arnold Joselin Grasmoen and Ione Julia Cunningham Grasmoen. Her father was a banker and an Air Force officer during World War II. She attended Hobbs High School in New Mexico, and graduated from Merced High School in 1946.[2][3] She graduated from Stanford University in 1953.[4]
Career
[edit]She won the Butler Cup at Badger Pass in 1941, at the age of 12,[5] and the New Mexico State women's skiing championship in 1943, when she was 14. In 1946, an age minimum was changed to allow her to qualify as a Class B Skier in the Far Western Ski Association.[4] Grasmoen competed in two alpine skiing events at the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz, Switzerland.[1][4] She won the Gold Sun Run at Sun Valley in 1949.[6] She was crowned queen of the Nevada Winter Carnival in 1952.[7]
Grasmoen's athletic career ended when she was badly injured in a car accident near Flagstaff, Arizona.[8][9] Later in life she was active in women's club activities, and painted oils and watercolors.[10][11]
Personal life and legacy
[edit]Grasmoen married twice. She married Arthur Murray Robinson in 1950.[12][13] In 1957, she married physicist Kent Dedrick.[14] She lived with her parents from the late 1950s[11] into the 1990s.[4] She died in 2000, at the age of 71, in Merced. Her will left several large donations to local charities, including $200,000 each to the Merced County Arts Council, the Merced College Foundation, the Merced County Historical Society, the Merced Center for the Performing Arts, and the Arden Wood Benevolent Association of San Francisco.[15]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Brynhild Grasmoen Olympic Results". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
- ^ Erlandson, Erling (January 26, 1948). "California's Greatest Woman Skier... Brynhild Grasmoen". Merced Sun-Star. p. 4. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Seeks Place on Olympic Team". Merced Express. February 27, 1947. p. 6. Retrieved May 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d Booth, Diane (February 8, 1992). "Bee Grasmoen felt thrill of competition". Merced Sun-Star. pp. D1, D2. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Rad's Ramblings". Merced Sun-Star. April 11, 1941. p. 8. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Brynhild Grasmoen Wins Gold Sun, Cracks Record". Merced Sun-Star. January 13, 1949. p. 4. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Berry, Bill (February 24, 1952). "Olympic Skier Brynhild Grasmoen 'Carnival Queen'". Nevada State Journal. p. 7. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Brynhild Grasmoen Seriously Injured". Merced Sun-Star. November 18, 1953. p. 1. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Condition of Brynhild Grasmoen is Better". The Modesto Bee. December 5, 1953. p. 10. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Lewis, Leona (February 21, 1985). "Women's club has hobby show". Merced Sun-Star. p. 25. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Brown, Mary (May 3, 1959). "Weekend Trips Around State Keep New Residents Busy". Arizona Republic. p. 89. Retrieved May 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Brynhild Grasmoen Bride of Arthur Murray Robinson". Merced Express. July 20, 1950. p. 3. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Erlandson, Erling (July 20, 1950). "Sports Stew". Merced Sun-Star. p. 4. Retrieved May 3, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Brynhild Grasmoen is Bride of Kent Dedrick of Stanford". Merced Sun-Star. March 11, 1957. p. 4. Retrieved May 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Joseph, Brian (June 27, 2001). "Merced woman gives back to hometown". The Modesto Bee. p. 19. Retrieved May 4, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.