Grant Knute Hagestad

Grant Knute Hagestad July 20, 1937- October 26, 2025 Grant "Gary" Knute Hagestad was born July 20, 1937, in San Mateo, CA to Hamilton and Ruth Hagestad. Gary grew up in Placerville, California, and as a teenager, worked with his father, surveying and charting miles of the Sierra Mountains in the Sonora, CA area. Gary graduated with honors from Sonora High School and was the first in his family to go to college, earning a scholarship to Stanford University, where he earned a B.S. in Civil Engineering, a M.S. in Civil Engineering and Construction Management, and an M.B.A. Grant became his favored name in business. In 1976, with three partners, he founded a home- building company in Campbell, California and has been active as president and CEO for Estate Homes. From 1984 to the early 90s, Grant founded three home-building companies, Estate Homes of Dublin, Estate Homes of Fairfield, and Estate Homes of Vacaville, and co-managed their construction of homes with partner, Doug Gilman. The Estate Homes companies have built more than 1500 single family homes throughout the Bay Area and in Solano County. His children have always been an important part of his life and he cherishes the memories of teaching Jeanne and Erik to ride a bicycle, to ride horses and to play soccer while he was one of the coaches. He remembers playing baseball with the children, the many hikes with grandchildren, and the trips to Wyoming, Disneyland and Hawaii. Grant loved hiking, and with family, he hiked stretches of the Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail, Fat Man's Trail, and the trail to the San Francisco Peaks. With wife, Betty, trips were made to Paris with the Catacombs, the Louvre, Alaska, Canada, New England for the colors, Minnesota, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, Petrified Forest, Vancouver Island, scuba diving in Jamaica, the Civil War battlefields, and many more. Grant and Betty have been avid football fans and had season tickets to both the 49ers and Stanford during the 1990s when both teams made it to Super Bowls and Rose Bowls. Later, they have loved watching on television, without the tailgates, traffic, and time involved in attending. Grant, age 88, took the hand of our Precious Lord on October 25, 2025, and died with family and friends. Grant's deep and abiding faith proved to be a constant source of peace and strength throughout his life. It sustained him through challenges and brought him comfort and courage during his battle with cancer, reminding all who loved him of his steadfast trust in God's care and grace. He is preceded in death by his parents, Hamilton Hagestad and Ruth Stringham; first wife, Patricia Graham Smith, and son, Erik Hagestad. He is survived by wife, Betty Nelson Gravdahl; sister, Laura Stallone; daughters, Jeanne Hagestad, Colleen (Dudley Gardner) Carscallen, and Lori (Jean-Francois) Poujol; grandchildren, Adam, Glenn, and Shannon Carscallen, Tristan, Savannah, and Sebastien Poujol, and eight great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held Friday, November 14, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Timothy's Lutheran Church, 5100 Camden Ave, San Jose, CA 95124. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Timothy's Lutheran Church.

Grant Knute Hagestad

July 20, 1937 - October 25, 2025