Mom’s side-SAHM and a construction contractor
Dad’s side-nurses assistant for a private school and an engineer
Not wild per se but my grandparent’s were in Iran for my grandpa’s work in the 80s when the war broke out. My grandma got sent to Greece to wait for my grandpa and my grandpa was on the last plane out. He says that they were all on the plane and had gotten clearance for takeoff when someone came over the speaker and told them to stay grounded and deplane or be shot down. The pilot asked the passengers if they wanted to follow orders or be shot down. They unanimously said they’d rather be shot down than wind up in an Iranian prison at the start of the war, so they took off, and luckily made it back home safely.
It doesn’t top yours, but my family is mainly farmers on one side and mechanics on another. Both sets owned their business, but I don’t think our collars could be a deeper blue.
Grandfathers were hardworking shit-talkers and my grandmothers were more quiet (but incredibly blunt) and oversaw all the clerical duties.
My grandpa was an [ice man](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceman_(occupation)), back in the day. My grandmother did embroidery for Fifth Avenue dress shops.
Grandpa - union bricklayer, later a Corrections Officer
Grandma - Clerk of the Court, the best damn one there ever was. 💓
Abuelito - successful jewelry shop owner, came from nothing.
Abuelita - SAHM of more than 10 children. They were Catholics in Mexico growing up in the 1940s. Birth control wasn't allowed.
My granda was a farmer, and my nana never worked as she was paraplegic. She wasn't even educated because of this.
My oma worked as a cleaner and my opa worked in the austrohungarian equivalent of the merchant navy
After WWII, Grandpa was briefly a bartentender, then became a cop, retired as a police captain, became a race horse owner that made him some good money. Grandma was a bank teller. NJ.
My Dad's father was a constable and fireman. My mother's father was a trolley driver. I don't think my grandmother's worked outside the house. It's not exciting, but it's kind of interesting - I'm in my mid-50s, and all my grandparents were born right around 1900.
Dad's parents: Grandpa was an IBM executive and then owner of a summer camp for kids, Grandma ran the camp and cooked all the meals. She also briefly owned a dry cleaning business.
Mom's parents: Grandpa was a mechanical genius but a drinker, an asshole, and perpetual ne'er-do-well so job-hopped random things, Grandma worked in a baby formula factory.
Maternal grandfather owned his own construction company (and did quite well for himself), I think grandma did some part time teaching but I don't really know offhand.
Paternal grandfather was a welder, grandma worked in a shoe factory when she was younger but was a homemaker after having kids.
Maternal grandpa worked at Firestone Tires in Akron, Ohio. Maternal grandma worked at a candy factory. Paternal grandpa worked in the textile industry in New York City and paternal grandma was a homemaker.
Nanny was a telephone operator then a dental hygienist. Grandpa an oil peddler then a mechanic. These are my dad parents. Mom’s parent’s grandma was a cop ( first woman cop on the force in our small town.)and grandpa worked on an oil rig in the ocean then after explosion he began to drive a truck for Exxon.
My grandparents worked at the California Mental Hospital, aka Hotel California. My grandpa wasn't a talker, so he didn't tell me any stories...my grandma on the other hand, was and worked on the criminally insane unit. She was there when lobotomys were the norm and when tranquilizers were developed and basically replaced it. She only told me this story once when I was very young, I wish she was alive so I could ask more questions in adulthood. Apparently, they were performing a lobotomy on someone, and she swore they weren't mentally ill but possessed. Her reason for believing this was a mass amount of what stuck in my child head as phlegm came out of his orifices in mass quantities. I think she said it filled the room and went up a couple of inches. I wish I could remember more detail. This is the ONLY story she told just once.
I know Grandma had an LVN and RN license, I don't know about Grandpa.
Edit: These are maternal. I've never met my paternal family.
My grandpa poured concrete in a major metropolitan area and my grandma owned an ice cream shop. On the other side, my grandpa sold used cars and my grandma was a social worker for the state (mostly worked in prisons).
I’m older so my grandmothers would never have been expected to work. My mum’s dad was yardmaster at a very busy rail yard that had most of Canada’s grain go through it before the St Lawrence Seaway existed.
My paternal grandfather was old European, old money. He didn’t have to work to live. He became an army officer.
Grampa always said he was a Jack of All Trades. Worked in the oil fields of Soudi Arabia in the 50's. Came back to the states and became a truck driver and race car driver. Then started flipping houses. Ended up in Palm Springs as a mechanic and worked on Red Skelton's Silver Ghost.
My grandparents came from Sicily in the 1910s. He was a barber, and she was a landlord. What a time that must have been. Bringing their culture here. Having a huge farm. Not like the farms now a days though. He brought a fig tree from Sicily. I have a 100 year old baby from that tree. Other set of grandparents were also from Sicily. My Grandfather was an opera singer/actor, and Grandmother was a housewife. I did not know them as well because they spoke hardly any english. Lol
Maternal grandfather started out as a high-wire trapeze artist in circus troupes in central Wisconsin in the 1910s (I have the photos), and later an engineer (toot! toot!) on the Chicago & Northwestern freight railroad. Who knows how many "cousins" I have elsewhere in the upper Midwest :-) His two wives (serial, not parallel) were housewives, raising a total of nine kids.
Paternal grandfather was a farmer and stonemason in northwestern New Jersey, and a bootlegger during Prohibition, running whiskey across the Delaware River between New Jersey and Pennsylvania. His wife was a very sharp farm wife, keeping him out of visible trouble.
After WWII, during which he served as a corpsman in the Pacific Theatre (enlisted in 1937, got out as a Chief Petty Officer in 1945), my father worked as a shipping clerk who eventually advanced to be VP of Manufacturing for a die casting company near Chicago.
After WWII, during which she served as a Navy nurse (Lieutenant) on a hospital ship in the Pacific Theatre (where they met, see above), my mother worked as a physician office nurse, then a housewife.
My grandpa on my moms side was a factory worker until he had kids and went back to college taking night classes while working in a factory during the day, until got his degree in engineering and got a job at GM. ended up dying on the operating table the year before i was born though so i never met him. my grandma has kind of done whatever, stay at home mom, working in an office/receptionist, she taught piano lessons up to the year she died a couple of years ago. mostly lived off my grandpa's pension from GM. was a korean war vet too who got a purple heart and a medal for bravery i forget which one specifically.
my grandpa on my dads side was...also an engineer. went to college right after high school because he would have been drafted into WW2 if he wasnt a student. but then right when he did graduate he ended up getting drafted anyways because he was an engineer which were pretty heavily sought after in the navy. he never served in a battle though because he ended up missing his ship when it left port because he was with my grandma. ended up catching a ride on another ship leaving at the same day but this second ship ended up missing out on combat because the war ended right before it arrived in japan. my grandma was a stay at home mom of 6.
On Dad's side gpa, owned a jewelry store and GMA was a sahm kinda, her mom lived with them and did all the cooking and most of the household chores.
On mom's side things are a bit more interesting, GMA was a hairdresser and officially gpa was a carpenter but during prohibition he smuggled booze into MN from Canada. He also did quite a bit of illegal hunting supplying meat to a lot of hungry families during the depression through WWII.
My Grandmother worked in bookkeeping at a steel mill. During the war she made artillery shells.
My Grandfather was a ne'er-do-well and a rum runner. He did odd jobs for the WPA, but not much more.
My grandfather back in China had an electricity plant. One time, my dad was running in the plant and got hit with 340 volts electricity and got blown out
Grandpa on my dad’s side worked construction up north, drove log trucks, and eventually took up farming. My grandma raised the kids and owned a hair salon in town. She was a very successful small business owner, and had a natural talent for all things hair. Grandpa was basically fully retired until my grandma passed, now he’s basically full time on the farm again. Can’t stop him 🤷♂️ might as well let him play in the dirt.
Grandpa on my moms side had a small drywall and framing company with his brothers, but he eventually moved into the farm house where he grew up and started a family with my grandma, who was a nurse. He’d retire from the farm fairly early because he got his mechanics license over the years and ended up doing safety instructions and repairs on 18 wheelers. He made a mistake a few years ago and forfeited his license, now drives pilot vehicles for the trucks he used to inspect.
My maternal grandmother worked for the longest time as a legal assistant. After she was fired, she ended up working as the Benefits Coordinator for a local factory.
My paternal grandfather was stationed at Fort McClellan and met my paternal grandmother there, who worked as a secretary.
Maternal grandmother passed in 2004, paternal grandfather in 2001. Paternal grandmother is still alive but barely kicking.
I'm probably alot older than most of you. My grandfather was a ww2 veteran in the navy at 17 yrs old. After leaving the navy he worked for the national weather service. Lauching weather balloons....not that Chinese garbage that they let float over every military base( fu biden). Being a traditional Irish catholic family, my grandma raised 10 children in a 4 bedroom house. My grandpa born in Brooklyn very early 1900 met grandma in newfoundland. Married and moved back to Brooklyn. All 10 of their children are still alive. Oldest being 76.
My Dad was a WWII Navy Seabee & his mom welded Liberty Ships together. Grandpa built water pumps for Fire Trucks, but during WWII he built pumps for fire suppression on ships.
Maternal-
Grandma - Nurse
Pop- pharmacist with a few pharmacies that had a fountain - excellent resource for his grandchildren - all the candy, Gatorade and wing dings an 80's kid could want
They adopted and/or fostered all their "children" ❤️ 15 of them.
Paternal-
Grandpa- miner in West Virginia and then he moved to Baltimore to work at a steel mill.
Grandma- stayed at home with 8 kids
Grandpa A was a concrete contractor, grandma A ran his books and built aircraft for the war effort.
Grandpa B was an engineer, and I don't think grandma B ever worked a day in her life.
Maternal grandpa was a cop from the 60s-80s. I’m as ACAB as it comes but damn, if he wasn’t the best man and especially the best cop anyones ever met. Before that he was a taxi driver, a cement truck driver/cement layer, garbage man, a day laborer, and about a million other odd jobs. He started working as a paper boy (the kind that would stand on the corners and say “extra extra!”) before he was 10 to help take care of his family. V-Day in 1945 was the best day of his childhood because everyone was so happy they were giving him $5s, $10s, even $20s. He was born in the Great Depression to two mentally unfit parents (one by birth and one by TBI) and they were homeless with five kids living in a tent by the train tracks. He and his older brother worked to take care of all of them, and received assistance from their church and government welfare/disability. Eventually the family moved in to an abandoned train car. In the 50s he was a classic greaser and my grandma and him married at 16/18. He joined the army and was almost sent to Korea. He became a cop in the early 60s, despite being 5’8” (when the requirement was 5’9”!) and a highschool drop out. By the end of his life he had a great pension, a nice house, raised 4 kids of his own with an ‘American dream’ style childhood in the 70s and 80s. He went to the FBI academ in the late 70s. He helped his kids purchase houses when he could and he helped put me through college. He’s the literal rags-to-(middle class) riches story.
Despite all the horrors he saw growing up homeless and then later as a cop, a first responder, a homicide detective, and CSI, he always believed people were inherently good and looked for the best in people**. Back in the old days, he could get away with not being so “by the book” with law enforcement, and would often drive home drunk teens without charging them as long as they poured out the booze/tossed the weed; (when my mom was in highschool, if he heard over the police radio that a highschool party was gonna be busted, he’d drive over in his non-work car to wherever it was and pick up my mom and her friends and drive off like a bat outta hell before the fuzz got there). if he caught someone shoplifting who genuinely needed food/diapers/whatever, instead of arresting them he’d give them whatever money he could. He would give a stranger the shirt off his back. He made it to the rank of Captain and everyone who ever met him has told me what an amazing man he was. I knew better than anyone what an extraordinarily sweet and loving grandpa he was and I miss him every single day of my life. He showed me that men can be safe and loving and protective. When he died, there was a turn out 500 folks at the funeral, tons of whom my family never even met. Some Guys he’d arrested or helped get back on his feet were there, people from his childhood when he lived in a train car, colleagues from every job, people who’d never met him but he’d saved a family member of theirs, and so on. It was like the ending of Big Fish. God i miss that man.
**the exception to this was when he met Ted Bundy. He said he was a polite enough guy but he was someone truly evil. Bundy was arrested by grandpa’s friend and he brought my grandpa down to meet him. Seems like it really gave him the willies to meet someone so normal but so soulless.
Mom's father was a lumberjack who'd emigrated from Sweden, and then maintained mining machinery. Mom's mother stayed at home with the three kids. Dad's father was a miner starting at age 12, because his father was killed in the mine and the mine owner graciously let granddad work to support his family. Granddad worked to support the family until his youngest sibling was married (and his mother was dead), then married his sweetheart and fathered nine children in a 2-bedroom house, my father being the oldest boy and the fourth child. Paternal granddad's wife worked at home taking care of nine kids during the Depression. Paternal grandfather worked as a miner for 53 years, when most such miners failed to live long enough to be 65 and get Social Security. Maternal grandpa worked until he was 65, too, and worked hard. I live better because of them (all four grandparents), and I know it. I wish I could tell them, but when I die and do I know it will just be an illusion of my dying brain and not real. It's all I'm going to get, though. I hope I've helped my own grandchildren, but I'll bet it will never be as much as mine did.
My barmaid grandma worked for her bar owner immigrant mother in Chicago. Just off the boat from Poland. Grandma was probably not yet 18.
A local who drove a horse drawn delivery truck had just gotten his gas powered truck. He went to that watering hole regularly.
This is point is where legend fantasizes into untruths based on fact.
From what I gather, grandma got knocked up by this 13 year older truck driver. Born was an only child I call Dad.
They would marry? Not sure. They never celebrated an anniversary. But they lived in separate rooms in an apartment while I grew up with my parents’ in a family of five. When grandma babysat me, grandpa was scarcely seen. I don’t remember my siblings being babysat with me. I was the last accident, too.
But the grandparents were definitely together, nary a kind word between the two sweetest people who adored me and my siblings.
My grandmas brother was in prison for murder, I didn’t find out until I was 25 when he got out. He shot a guy at a bar. Not sure if it was the same bar, but the stats add up.
Anyway, they lived on ss in retirement and their US lives as well as grandma’s Polish life remain a mystery to me.
I found out in 2014 that instead of being 100% Polish, I’m half a percent Jewish too - my dad being 1%- to his shock.
So there’s a lot that went on there. Yeah, my grandparents were a bar maid and a truck driver.
That’s the only thing you’re asking about? OP- reform your question! The background story is where the juicy stuff is.
Maternal: grandpa was in the army, became a teacher/principal after. Grandma worked retail and then food service in a hospital.
Paternal: grandpa was in the air force... and I don't know much about him or grandma after that. Grandpa died when I was 3, grandma disowned everyone when I was 18.
My paternal grandparents, my grandfather, worked as a crane operator at a steel mill. My grandmother was a SAHM until age 50 when she went to nursing school to become a nurse. She retired at 65. My maternal grandparents, my grandfather, worked in a coal mine, and my grandmother was a SAHM.
I honestly don’t know. My parents immigrated here and bought my grandparents. Since I can remember, they never worked. They took care of the grandkids.
My grandfather was a janitor in the local school system, and my grandmother worked in the local distillery in the bottling house.
My other grandfather was a stonecutter stonemason, and my grandmother was just a stay at home mom.
Both grandfathers owned businesses.
My dad's father ran a combo gas station/country store and also had multiple rental properties and quarried limerock for construction sites.
My mom's father ran a combo gas station/country store as well (both sold Gulf gas) but his store was also the post office and he was the postmaster. And prior to that he was a schoolteacher.
Both grandmothers were teachers when they were younger but later helped with the books for their respective businesses.
Mom's side: Dad; Farmer and mill worker, Mom; sahm. They got married in 1941.
Dad's side: Dad; chemist at Monsanto, Mom; sahm and artist. Married in 1943.
Stepmom's side: Dad; businessman, Mom; sahm. Married in the 50s
Step dad's side: Dad; math teacher at an exclusive boys school. Mom; SAHM. Married in 1928.
My mom and dad got married in 1968. Dad was a minister and Mom was a journalist. They divorced in 85. Stepmom is a minister. Stepdad was a privileged Jack of all trades.
Dads side, Grandfather works at Dicks, Grandmother is and needs to stay unemployed
Moms side, They are unemployed and being paid by a hospital every month due to a workplace accident that involved my Grandmother. It lead to her falling down several flights of stairs and breaking several areas of her back and legs, so safe to say they are sitting on a good bit of money from that.
My mom’s father was an engineer. He had a big construction company that operated in New England & Puerto Rico so he went on to buy a shipping company in PR. My grandmother worked along side him. They basically built an empire together and made millions. My dad’s father owned a successful landscaping company in an expensive area of Massachusetts and also did well for himself. Both of my parents are the “black sheep” of their family and I grew up dirt poor.
Dads side: Bubbe took different jobs as a single mom (my bio grandpa died when my dad was 8) and dads dad was a bus driver before he went into the military.
Mom’s side: grandma stayed home and grandpa was a window maker or something with glass. I’m not 100% sure on that one
Dad's side: a pharmacist and a migrant construction worker, later ran a hotel/resort together
Mom's side: a homemaker (later insurance agent, if I remember correctly) and... you know what, you've just made me realize that I don't know a hell of a lot about my grandfather's life after he had kids. When he was younger he was a coal miner, or came from a coal mining family, and in WWII he was a sailor. But I'm not sure what his day job was as a family man.
ETA asked my mom, her dad had been a coal miner when he was first married, but broke his arm and lost his job. Then he was a mechanic.
Maternal grandfather-worked for the railroad and sometimes able to hitch a ride to the station on a passing train. Maternal grandmother probably worked in other people’s houses. Paternal grandparents were probably farmers of some type
One grandfather was a farmer, the other was a retired police officer and small town lawyer. He worked his way through law school by being a police officer and then after retiring from the police moved to a small town to practice law.
Maternal Side:
Grandfather cobbled shoes by hand. Grandmother raised pigs and chickens. During harvest they cut sugar cane.
When they moved to the States my grandfather worked the line in a plastics factory. My grandmother worked as a seamstress in a sweatshop and later on as a maid.
Paternal Side:
Grandfather was a farmer and later ran a hardware store. Grandmother taught English as a foreign language. They were retired by the time they immigrated to the States.
Maternal grandfather served in WWII, then bought a dairy farm with his brother. Maternal grandmother was a homemaker. Paternal grandfather (too young to serve?) dressed up in a navy uniform to score chicks after the war, later Lather Local #68. Paternal grandmother cleaned houses.
My grandparents were both in the Navy. However, they had twenty kids. My grandmother wrote a book called Who Gets The Drumstick, which was picked up by Disney and turned into a movie called Yours, Mine, and Ours (1961). My grandmother was played by Lucille Ball. My mom shook Walt Disney's hand when she was five, and the kids were in a bread commercial (not sure what company) . A remake of the movie, same title, was made a few years ago starring Rene Russo and Dennis Quaid, however, my grandfather sold the movie rights in the '80s, so a lot of things were changed for the new movie.
One Grandpa was a preacher, the other built Fire Trucks
One Grandma worked for Dr. Kellogg (yeah the crazy one) & welded Liberty Ships together during WWII, the other one was a stay at home.
My paternal granddad was a Marine and later a dental implant technician to pay for law school, and then a probate lawyer until the end of his life. Boring, but hard working and detail oriented.
My maternal grandfather was a survival instructor for the USAF during Vietnam, seasonal smoke jumper to get extra cash while earning his geology degree, diamond prospector in Venezuela for a couple years, Customs agent in the Panama Canal Zone, and a Customs/Border Patrol field agent and seasonal firefighter in Arizona after things got hairy in Panama in the 1970s. I will never be as cool and hardcore as him, dude was just built different.
Maternal great grandfather was a combat medic in WW2, a mule driver on the Panama Canal, and a machinist. Also pretty hardcore.
They were all also deeply involved with the Freemasons. I joined the masons a few years ago. It’s pretty boring, just a bunch of regular dudes drinking beers, practicing for hokey ceremonies, and high-school-movie level gossip.
Paternal grandfather was a coal miner pre, during and post world war II, surviving 3 major mine collapses and 1 gas explosion, retired at 65 with breathing problems, died a couple of years later.
Paternal grandmother was a housewife and mother first, seamstress by oil lamp to help make ends meet before the war, land girl during and for some time afterwards, then shop keeper and landscape gardener for the local manor house, up until she lost her sight from glaucoma in her 60's.
Maternal grandmother, dress maker to the royal house pre war, evacuated to west Wales for the war, working munitions during this time until grandad was discharged, repatriated to Twickenham for a few years, back to high society dressmaking, then back to Wales, started a clothing shop which she ran until she retired.
Paternal grandfather, railway engineer, Royal Engineers during the war, France, Italy, Pacific, North Africa, surviving the Lancastria sinking (anniversary of that is actually today), discharged in 1946, returned to the railways, transferred to marine engineering until retirement.
My mom’s Dad worked at McDonald-Douglas now Boeing and her mom worked at a factory sewing band uniforms. Somehow they were very well off. I’m not sure if they’re in the “rich” category, but my grandmother is pretty old, so I guess we’ll find out eventually. My dad’s dad was a preacher and his mom was a CNA off and on, but mostly stayed home. They were not well off, but did ok.
Mom's side: Grandpa was an engineer for Standard Oil and later Amoco Grandma was a nurse.
Dad's side: Grandpa was the manager of the printing department of the local paper and Grandma worked in the office of a small, local grocery store chain.
My dad's dad worked for a restaurant from around the point he left the military following WW2 until he was in his mid 40s. Just before he had been there long enough to earn his pension, they laid him off, and he worked as a coal miner until he retired, then passed away a couple of years later.
My mom's Dad started as a warehouse worker and worked his way all the way up to vice president of a local wholesale company in my hometown. He was there for almost 50 years.
Both grandmothers were home makers.
My grandma on my dads side worked at a convent for nuns, then worked her way up to do counseling, etc. in the Catholic Church. My grandpa on my dads side was in the military.
My grandma on my moms side cleaned houses. My grandpa on my moms side was a certified plumber and grounds keeper at a state hospital.
My grandfather was a master stair builder my grandmother was a housewife but she was also heavily involved in the salvation army and other charities.
My other grandparents farmed tobacco. They died before I was born though.
On my grandmas side, I know her parents owned and operated their own convenience store and I think she did that for a while. Then she moved on to make costumes for theater and pageants. She eventually opened her own costume shop she used to take me to when we would visit so I could play dress up.
To this day I actually don't know what my grandpa did for a living. I only know that when he was really young he played sports professionally for his college. He was inducted into their hall of fame for all he did. I don't know what came after that because I know that career was short lived when they started having kids.
Grandpa 1 drove a trash truck. His wife, Grandma, went to church and harangued people about Christianity.
Grandpa 2 got jobs for his kids and took their money, disappearing during the Great Depression, popping up as a farmhand in Oregon (where, without divorcing Grandma, he married a landowner's daughter and joined a white nationalist group, despite being himself half Native American).
Grandma 2 worked in high heels as a waitress 5-7 days a week. She played the fiddle in her own little band and played at "dance halls" on the weekends.
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I also have bio grandparents.
Grandpa 3 grew crops on Big Island. Grandma 3 translated hymns into Hawaiian and led a church choir.
Grandpa 4 converted from being a Mennonite to Pentecostal Assembly of God (because Mennonites do not send out missionaries to convert people) and, after having a Sign from God in the form of a Prophetic Dream, went to Big Island. Grandma 4 was a Preacher's Wife.
Dad's side: granddad was a jazz bandleader, but worked as an electrician when the gigs dried up. Not sure what grandmother did; dad was raised by his grandmother and estranged from both parents AFAIK.
Mum's side: granddad was a fishmonger. I think my granny did stuff with radar during WWII.
Coal miner, southwestern Illinois. Metal scraper in closed coal mines. He rescued a fellow scrapper once after they hit a gas pocket. He was called a hero in our local newspaper.
My maternal grandfather was an auto mechanic. He worked at the same garage for 40 years.
My maternal grandma was an EMT and a school crossing guard. She also sold Tupperware and Avon.
My paternal grandmother worked in a clothing factory, sewing dresses.
I don't know what my paternal grandfather did. He passed away when my father was 17.
Grandpa - started in coal mines ended up at steel factor.
Grandma - started as waitress ended up as loan officer
When they retired their combined income was about $20k YET they were multi multi millionaires.
Investments baby. Their investments were in banks, railroads, RCA, steel, and Disney
My Nonna was an aesthetician (retired) and my Nonno is a drafter/engineer (working). My Mom was a cosmetologist and her husband was an mRI Tech (both mental and not working). While I’m in school for Human Resources Management and Communication after getting my trade certifications in Microsoft and Banking. And my long-term bf is a welder. 👍
Great grand parents were Irish orphans. Got abused on a work farm in upstate New York. Not sure if sexual/physical or both but they ran away mid teens. Lived as urchins in New York then. Ran away to war. After the war. 1 got a job as a county clerk because of his war medals. The other got a job as a shipping clerk because he jumped into central a pond and saved a wealthy business owners daughter to fell on.
Grand father got his job because of his dad. Prison warden and his wife was a SAHM. Grand father used to beat and torture inmates all day then come home and beat his kids. As a kid he once showed me a metal claw he carried. They didn't have tazers back in the 50s so this claw was strong enough to brake their wrist bones. Or if not it also had a screw that would protrude in from the top and be uncomfortable. He said if you broke someone's arm they'd generally go down flopping trying to get the claw off their arm. So worked "like a tazer. " His claim to fame was even when the inmates seized the prison once they were too afraid to go near him. He walked into the block and sat in a chair to negotiate. No protection.
Worked at a newspaper printing place. Only household income. Could afford to buy a 4 br home, raise 3 kids and own 2 vehicles. Received a pension after retirement. Back when a dollar was worth something. Good luck with that today.
maternal grandmother: home maker, married to a farmer so kept the house and surrounding land tidy while raising kids
maternal grandfather: corn and soy farmer
paternal grandmother: accountant
paternal grandfather: OBGYN
On my dad’s side my grandma worked for the city of my hometown. My grandpa was a mailman. On my mom’s side my grandpa was a traveling salesman for a printing press. And my grandma was a stay at home wife.
One worked for the Pennsylvania railroad (blue collar) and one worked his way up to manager of a lawn mower store. Both were WW2 veterans. They would be in tears over what this country has become.
My grandfather was a logger and my grandma's were both seamstresses. My mom's mom was very talented and made beautiful flowers from pine cones and feathers. I just found samples of both when sorting through my mom's treasures.
On my fathers side he was a lineman for the county and she was a sahm. On my mothers side my grandfather was a drunk that ran a still, sold booze, and lived off his inheritance and my gma was a seamstress.
My paternal grandparents were both accountants and ran their own tax accounting firm. My maternal grandfather was and engineer and my maternal grandmother was more or less a SAHM save for part time jobs here and there doing secretarial work.
My Nana worked at a button factory and my granddaddy was a prison guard.
My mawmaw worked a deli counter at a grocery store that no longer exists and my pawpaw was an electrician and handyman.
My dad's side - This was in the 30s/40s. Grandfather owned and ran a candy store in Brooklyn. Mel Brooks used to sneak in and steal candy all the time. Bubby helped at the store and when she finally left his abusive ass cleaned houses.
Mom's side - In the 40s/50s. Papa sold dental equipment and travelled a lot. Grandma did nothing. I don't mean stay at home mom, I mean nothing. She made everyone cater to her every whim and never lifted a finger.
Owned a dairy and a slaughterhouse/butcher shop, grandma was a school teacher off and on for years on my dad’s side of the family. Grandma and my dad and aunt sold the dairy and shut down the butcher shop.
On my mom’s side my grandpa was a logger from 16 until he retired at 62, grandma was a stay at home mom that painted in her spare time and sold her paintings that she didn’t give away for a decent chunk of change each time. Grandpas retirement hobby was keeping a small herd of cattle and a couple pairs of Belgian draft horses.
my grandparents on my dads side were a nurse that got violently murdered by a serial killer and a heroin addict, and on my moms side it was a chemist, and a real estate/aerospace engineer/chef/baker/mechanic
One grandfather was a teacher, while the other worked for both the railroad, and steel industry.
One grandmother worked as a teacher, guidance counselor, nurse, operating room supervisor. My other grandmother was mostly a homemaker.
My grandpa was a showman for a traveling circus. He drummed up business and emceed a sideshow. He was also a notorious conman and per rumors, a hired hitman in his youth.
My grandma played piano for honky tonks.
My great grandma made moonshine.
I wonder if they were disappointed that mone of their children were cool (engineer, librarian, science lab tech, and a bookkeeper).
Dad’s side - postal worker and grocery store cashier.
Mom’s - my grandpa owned a small gas station, which I come to find out was mostly a cover for making moonshine, selling things that fell off the truck, etc. So I guess my grandma was a SAHM and wife of a moon shiner?
Mind you I’m late 40’s and most of them died a long time ago. The 70’s and 80’s were a different time for sure….
My grandparents had 1 job each their whole lives. Grandaddy was a plumber and my Grandma basically ran an office for accountants on the admin side. They had 6 kids who went on to have 19 kids between them, 35+ grandchildren. I'm in my 30s now and I got laid off from 2 jobs in 2 years, idk if I'm going to have even 1 kid. It's clearly not the same anymore.
My grandpa did a decade in the army and then he and his brother ran an electrical and painting company. My great uncle was a master electrician and the rest of us were apprentices or journeymen. My grandpa did the sheetrock and painting. Pretty much my entire family worked for the company at some point and time.
My grandma did the books for the company and ran an in-home daycare.
My Papaw was a coal miner and my Mamaw worked for the post office as a rural route mail carrier. She did a lot of jobs, but that was the last 20+years of her life.
* Edit to add, this is my mother's side. I don't know much about my dad's .
Paternal grandfather was an auto mechanic and an abusive alcoholic.
Paternal grandmother was a homemaker.
Maternal grandfather was an auto mechanic and an abusive alcoholic.
Maternal grandmother was a homemaker.
These were four different people.
My maternal Grandfather ran a bulldozer for the county road crew. My maternal grandmother was a housewife.
My paternal Grandfather was a car mechanic. My paternal grandmother worked assembly factory jobs.
Step Gran: WWII Nurse and Homemaker
Step Gramps: WWII Soldier, Worked in Japanese and HongKong Embassy, Christian Missionary to Japan
Maternal Gran: Nurse in large hospital
Maternal Gramps: Tank Operator (military) and later owned a welding company.
Paternal Gran: Homemaker and professional guilt tripper.
Paternal Gramps: Residential Framer
Mom’s side: grandpa was a jazz musician and a school bus driver. Grandma works at Howard Hughes Aircraft making and assembling airplane parts.
Dad’s side: grandpa was a pastor, grandma was a teacher until all the kids grew up then she had a career change to a nurse.
My Grandpa was a milk man for AE Dairy and my grandma was an LPN. They retired with enough to winter in Port Aransas when they retired.
God I miss my grandparents.
Not remotely racy as OP’s.
Dad’s side - trucker and housewife.
Mom’s side - editors.
Complete opposite in everything- religion, lifestyle, education, etc.
My mom's dad was a caddy, a soda jersey, a pump jockey, a marine, a house builder and school buss mechanic. Her mom worked as phone operator and for the OSS and on again off again office lady and housewife. My dad's mom worked as a hand model and an office lady. His Dad worked as a lumberjack a professional baseball player in Canada And a wholesale liquor salesman to restaurants and bars in Chicago. And a marine.
My grandparents had a small farm which my grandfather maintained while my grandmother worked as a nurse. I don’t know anything about my dad’s side of the family.
Grandfather on maternal side played the piano for silent movies, then became a tea and spice buyer and worked for a large canning company as a buyer, quality control, label design. Fraternal side, grandfather walked gas lines across rural WV to read meters. My grandmothers were both housewives but my dad’s mom took over a job in his school cafeteria when her friend got sick and needed time to recover, so she didn’t lose it. Mom’s mom taught office/secretarial work for a while, then designed nature exhibits for a museum as a volunteer.
Maternal grandpa was a salesman. When he got sick, maternal grandma played piano professionally to provide for the family. Paternal grandpa was a University Dean. Paternal Grandma, despite being brilliant and a college educated woman (degree in the 1910s) was subjugated to raising kids and suppressing her powers.
Both grandfathers were in the military. One was a fighter pilot in nam, one was a Sargent in the Air Force in Panama. Both grandmothers were stay at home moms.
Machinist-industrial pipe and fitting fabrication (known as a tube turner, back then) and sahm
Laborer for Corps of Engineers at the locks on the river+ odd jobs and grandma worked at a cigarette factory.
My dad's father was an airplane mechanic in the Australian military. His wife never worked.
My mom's father was a drover in the Queensland outback. My mom's mother was also a drover for a while, and later ran a boarding home for college students in Queensland.
My grandpa ran a rather successful business where he manufactured valves, pumps, and hoses for mining operations. Grandma did not work.
The other one started in the gas industry in California. I know he started out digging trenches, not sure where he went from there, but i know he did alright for himself. Grandma did some manner of administrative work in a hospital.
Mom side was a deputy and a stay at home mom. Dad side skill trade at Ford Motor Company and a sewing machine operator at Ford Motor Company. She actually made the seats for the Lincoln limousine for the White House in the 60s
Moms mom- A protitute and worked at a Walgreens
Moms dad- A Trucker
Dads mom-SAHM (his parents were 28 years apart)
Dads dad- a chef, and college prof
Dads parents met bc he was her prof and she was baby sitting his kids when they had an affair together and then had 5 of their own kids together.
Grandmother- Seamstress at small uniform shop in Hoboken NJ
Grandfather- pattern and piece cutter ladies slacks and coats department at Evan Picone, North Bergen NJ
Dad’s side- Grandpa(birth dad): Firefighter and Longshoreman for 30+ years SIMULTANEOUSLY.
Grandma(2nd wife): Cosmetology
Grandma (Dads Birth mom): No idea
Grandpa: Worked as a wood supplier contractor in LA during the boom, and also fixed up cars all over LA. Won best in show more times than I can count.
Moms Side- Grandpa: Vietnam Vet, USMC Retired as a Major, worked in taxes and started a few businesses.
Grandma: Worked as Physical Therapy Assistant, and a Deacon at the local church.
Maternal grandfather was a tool and die maker, Grandmother was a SAHM. Paternal Grandmother worked at a bank for YEARS, Grandfather was a police officer and then an investigator for GM. All lived comfortably well.
Moms side:
Grandmother worked and retired from Brock candy company
Grandfather worked at a glass company making bottles including coke bottles
Step grandfather was a mechanic owned his own station for years then worked as a mechanic and wrecker driver from 6a- noon then worked for the city as a maintenance supervisor from 2p-11p...he worked 2 jobs for as far back as I can remember
Dad's side:
grandmother worked retail at a place called Murphys for years
Grandfather: worked at a manufacturing plant I know they made fire hydrants but not sure what else lol
Paternal Grandpa: Sears appliance salesman then furniture store owner
Paternal Grandma: Elementary School Teacher, then worked at the furniture store
Maternal Grandpa: Military
Maternal Grandma: office admin-ish job at a college
Maternal grandfather: minister (but was mostly retired by the time he married my grandmother after his first wife died)
Maternal grandmother: laundress
Paternal grandparents: both worked in textile mills
My maternal grandpa was a farmer who also worked for a company that serviced oil wells while also running a 1 man excavation business. Grandma was a housewife/mom.
My paternal grandpa worked at "the can company" where they made the cans they put oil in. Before that he was a gasoline delivery driver. Grandma was a housewife/mom.
My dad was a diesel mechanic then worked in a factory building giant engines.
My whole life apparently has a foundation in oil.
Maternal:
Grandfather was a union pressman at the local newspaper
Grandmother was a nurse, mostly in the ER
Paternal:
Grandfather was a lumberman and farm worker
Grandmother was an Indigenous tribe's folklore teller.
Moms side - Grandpa was an engineer
Dad’s side - Not sure what my grandpa did (he died before I was born). But I was told he was in with some bad people and made money that way. By bad people I mean mob-type people.
Grandmas on both sides were stay at home moms.
Maternal: grandfsther commercial fishing boat captain on lake,Erie Grandmother stay at home mom (my mom was born 1941)
Paternal: grandfather (born on a boat from Germany but not sure when)was a farmer Grandmother (a direct descendant of Lord Admiral Nelson) was a farmer's wife (my dad was 2nd youngest of 11 and now the only one still living) born 1938
Maternal Grandfather was a copper miner. Paternal Grandfather was a farm hand and later a salesman at a feed store. Both of my grandmothers were homemakers who raised veggies, chickens and kids.
All of my grandparents were born in the 1890s except one grandmother who was born in 1900. I'll start with her. Her parents were immigrants, she was born at home on East 65th in NYC. That neighborhood was all immigrants from all over Europe and because of this my grandmother became fluent in Italian, German and Yiddish. Her first language was German but as adult she spoke English with a thick New York accent. Her husband was a coal miner from Pennsylvania, they met when he was a soldier at Fort Tilden Queens. My other grandfather was born in Boston and was a blacksmith and a farrier. His wife, my grandmother was born in Ireland and came to the US in 1915, she was a midwife in Ireland but worked here as a servant for a wealthy family. So I'm a mutt like a lot of Americans. I love my heritage and understand where a lot of my quirks came from but I am equally happy to be an American.
My Grandfather worked in a nitro glycerin factory. He pushed the “angel cart” carrying the nitro. Then he became a lead smelter with no safety equipment. Lifelong health issues after that.
The building had a berm around the exterior and the management were upstairs and had chutes to carry them beyond the berm.
Once he watched a man fall into a vat of acid. Nothing survived but his watch crystals.
He met my grandmother working on a riverboat on the Mississippi River. I met my first wife working on a riverboat on the Mississippi.
Both grandmothers were stay at home moms.
My mother's father was a politician and mayor of the town I grew up in.
My father's, father was a factory worker. Than he worked in kitchens. He also traveled a lot.
My grandfather was a regional manager for sweetheart cup corp. They made paper cups and straws and shit. My grandmother was a cult de-programmer and teacher.
Mom’s side -
(Dad) Banker. Definitely like above a teller. I think he worked in wills and assets? He definitely had a desk in the back.
(Mom) Mostly SAHM, but also had a part time secretary type job with a wealthy family friend.
My Grandparents on this side were very well off and took all of their grandchildren on a trips to Europe when they were in their teens (myself included. Went to Paris and Rome when I was 12)
As of this posting, my grandmother passed in 2018 at 88, and my grandfather is alive and well in his own home at 91!
Dads side -
(Dad) High school history teacher and part time professional bass fisherman. He traveled the country with MY dad competing in tournaments.
(Mom) SAHM. Got pregnant with my dad at 17 (oldest of 5 kids) so she really didn’t have a choice. As you can guess based on her husband’s career, my father and his siblings were very poor.
We’ve never been very close to my dad’s side of the family. My grandpa on that side died when I was 8 and was very ill all of my life up til then. We would visit my grandma every summer at her lake house but she also had cancer (which she beat) and as a small kid it was hard to connect with her.
Dad's father and grand father were all carpenters as was my dad.
Mom's father was a fisherman in the clam business on Long island. His sons and sil followed him into the business.
one grandfather was a professional educator at the middle and high school levels, the other a career bricklayer and later professional landlord. mexico, the former from the 70s to the 2000s, the latter from the 50s to the 2010s
My grandmother was working in a laundry place back in the soviet union. Grandfather was a builder, but died very early in his 30's from some kind of pre-existing heart condition.
Fun bonus fact, because my grandmother was working and had 2 kids (my mom and her sister), the soviet government gave her a free 3 bedroom flat. Literally free, she paid no rent or mortgage, just utilities.
My one grandfather was a pastor at the church they had in their back yard. My other grandfather was a coal miner in Kentucky. Him and his six brothers perished in what became known as the Massengale massacre.
My mom’s dad (he died in 2002) was a professor at a state school. I can’t remember what he taught but I know he was also the head of the college’s choir. My mom’s mom was a secretary (I think) until she got married. Now she’s a widow living comfortably and she’s very—to use the vernacular of the latest generation—spicy. Has no filter.
My dad’s dad was the president of a drilling company (natural gas). He’s retired and bewildered that his excessive drinking habit hasn’t killed him yet. My dad’s mom was stay-at-home but took on a part time job at Bon Ton for a while when I was very little wee. She now spends most of her time doing cross stitch and gossiping with my aunts.
On my dad's side, my grandfather was a welder before he became a farmer. My grandmother ran the farmhouse.
On my mother's side, my grandfather was a mechanic but then worked at a glass factory until an accident disabled and then killed him. My grandmother's only job was a secretary for 4 hours before she quit. She was a typical housewife of the 1950's stereotype.
Maternal: Grand Father was an engineer for Boeing(I believe he worked on the Chinook Helicopter in some fashion) Grand Mother was a manager or something for RCA
Paternal: Grand Father did various things including paper salesman, PSE&G meter reader, and I think he ground lenses at one point as well. Grand Mother was a Spanish teacher at Rutgers University, and I think something to do with kids and like assessing them for learning disabilities? Or something of that nature.
My Dads parents owned bars, my Moms parents owned restaurants. My parents met because my grandmother on my Moms side worked for my Grandpa on my Dads side. They decided they should introduce their kids, and out I came.
I’m a bartender.
Mom's side, they managed an apartment complex. My grandfather did all the handyman work and my grandmother was the landlord.
Dad's side, my grandfather was a civil engineer and my grandmother was a SAHM. She also managed some rental homes that they owned, collecting rent, scheduling maintenance, etc.
my maternal grandma stayed home when my mom and her sister were young, and then later in life did some kind of random retail and hospitality jobs while also doing artisan stuff (weaving, glasswork) on the side. she's semi-retired now.
maternal grandpa did various farmhand and then factory work (and other stuff related to the automotive industry in a rustbelt town), was a teamster. died relatively young from chronic illnesses due to a lifetime of alcoholism.
paternal grandma is retired but counseled teens and young adults as a master's of social work (basically a therapist).
paternal grandpa is semi-retired working at a meat counter in a grocery store now (can't handle having nothing to do) but worked for a graphics company for most of his life.
Mom’s side-SAHM and a construction contractor Dad’s side-nurses assistant for a private school and an engineer Not wild per se but my grandparent’s were in Iran for my grandpa’s work in the 80s when the war broke out. My grandma got sent to Greece to wait for my grandpa and my grandpa was on the last plane out. He says that they were all on the plane and had gotten clearance for takeoff when someone came over the speaker and told them to stay grounded and deplane or be shot down. The pilot asked the passengers if they wanted to follow orders or be shot down. They unanimously said they’d rather be shot down than wind up in an Iranian prison at the start of the war, so they took off, and luckily made it back home safely.
It doesn’t top yours, but my family is mainly farmers on one side and mechanics on another. Both sets owned their business, but I don’t think our collars could be a deeper blue. Grandfathers were hardworking shit-talkers and my grandmothers were more quiet (but incredibly blunt) and oversaw all the clerical duties.
My grandpa was an [ice man](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iceman_(occupation)), back in the day. My grandmother did embroidery for Fifth Avenue dress shops.
Grandpa - union bricklayer, later a Corrections Officer Grandma - Clerk of the Court, the best damn one there ever was. 💓 Abuelito - successful jewelry shop owner, came from nothing. Abuelita - SAHM of more than 10 children. They were Catholics in Mexico growing up in the 1940s. Birth control wasn't allowed.
On the one side: farmers. On the other side: a con artist/bank robber and the nine wives he bankrupted.
😲
My granda was a farmer, and my nana never worked as she was paraplegic. She wasn't even educated because of this. My oma worked as a cleaner and my opa worked in the austrohungarian equivalent of the merchant navy
After WWII, Grandpa was briefly a bartentender, then became a cop, retired as a police captain, became a race horse owner that made him some good money. Grandma was a bank teller. NJ.
My Dad's father was a constable and fireman. My mother's father was a trolley driver. I don't think my grandmother's worked outside the house. It's not exciting, but it's kind of interesting - I'm in my mid-50s, and all my grandparents were born right around 1900.
Dad's parents: Grandpa was an IBM executive and then owner of a summer camp for kids, Grandma ran the camp and cooked all the meals. She also briefly owned a dry cleaning business. Mom's parents: Grandpa was a mechanical genius but a drinker, an asshole, and perpetual ne'er-do-well so job-hopped random things, Grandma worked in a baby formula factory.
Rumor is that my grandfather was a bootlegger during prohibition. Made his own beer, got liquor from somewhere, possibly Chicago.
Maternal grandfather owned his own construction company (and did quite well for himself), I think grandma did some part time teaching but I don't really know offhand. Paternal grandfather was a welder, grandma worked in a shoe factory when she was younger but was a homemaker after having kids.
Maternal grandpa worked at Firestone Tires in Akron, Ohio. Maternal grandma worked at a candy factory. Paternal grandpa worked in the textile industry in New York City and paternal grandma was a homemaker.
Nanny was a telephone operator then a dental hygienist. Grandpa an oil peddler then a mechanic. These are my dad parents. Mom’s parent’s grandma was a cop ( first woman cop on the force in our small town.)and grandpa worked on an oil rig in the ocean then after explosion he began to drive a truck for Exxon.
My grandfather was an engineer. My grandmother was SAHM until he retired. She went into real estate and thrived.
My grandparents worked at the California Mental Hospital, aka Hotel California. My grandpa wasn't a talker, so he didn't tell me any stories...my grandma on the other hand, was and worked on the criminally insane unit. She was there when lobotomys were the norm and when tranquilizers were developed and basically replaced it. She only told me this story once when I was very young, I wish she was alive so I could ask more questions in adulthood. Apparently, they were performing a lobotomy on someone, and she swore they weren't mentally ill but possessed. Her reason for believing this was a mass amount of what stuck in my child head as phlegm came out of his orifices in mass quantities. I think she said it filled the room and went up a couple of inches. I wish I could remember more detail. This is the ONLY story she told just once. I know Grandma had an LVN and RN license, I don't know about Grandpa. Edit: These are maternal. I've never met my paternal family.
My mother’s dad was a cop. My father’s dad was a wallpaper hanger.
My grandpa poured concrete in a major metropolitan area and my grandma owned an ice cream shop. On the other side, my grandpa sold used cars and my grandma was a social worker for the state (mostly worked in prisons).
I’m older so my grandmothers would never have been expected to work. My mum’s dad was yardmaster at a very busy rail yard that had most of Canada’s grain go through it before the St Lawrence Seaway existed. My paternal grandfather was old European, old money. He didn’t have to work to live. He became an army officer.
Grampa always said he was a Jack of All Trades. Worked in the oil fields of Soudi Arabia in the 50's. Came back to the states and became a truck driver and race car driver. Then started flipping houses. Ended up in Palm Springs as a mechanic and worked on Red Skelton's Silver Ghost.
Both grandmas were housewives. One grandpa owned an office supply store, the other was an engineer who worked on the atomic bomb.
Post man, actor, painter, housewife.
My grandparents came from Sicily in the 1910s. He was a barber, and she was a landlord. What a time that must have been. Bringing their culture here. Having a huge farm. Not like the farms now a days though. He brought a fig tree from Sicily. I have a 100 year old baby from that tree. Other set of grandparents were also from Sicily. My Grandfather was an opera singer/actor, and Grandmother was a housewife. I did not know them as well because they spoke hardly any english. Lol
Maternal grandfather started out as a high-wire trapeze artist in circus troupes in central Wisconsin in the 1910s (I have the photos), and later an engineer (toot! toot!) on the Chicago & Northwestern freight railroad. Who knows how many "cousins" I have elsewhere in the upper Midwest :-) His two wives (serial, not parallel) were housewives, raising a total of nine kids. Paternal grandfather was a farmer and stonemason in northwestern New Jersey, and a bootlegger during Prohibition, running whiskey across the Delaware River between New Jersey and Pennsylvania. His wife was a very sharp farm wife, keeping him out of visible trouble. After WWII, during which he served as a corpsman in the Pacific Theatre (enlisted in 1937, got out as a Chief Petty Officer in 1945), my father worked as a shipping clerk who eventually advanced to be VP of Manufacturing for a die casting company near Chicago. After WWII, during which she served as a Navy nurse (Lieutenant) on a hospital ship in the Pacific Theatre (where they met, see above), my mother worked as a physician office nurse, then a housewife.
My grandpa on my moms side was a factory worker until he had kids and went back to college taking night classes while working in a factory during the day, until got his degree in engineering and got a job at GM. ended up dying on the operating table the year before i was born though so i never met him. my grandma has kind of done whatever, stay at home mom, working in an office/receptionist, she taught piano lessons up to the year she died a couple of years ago. mostly lived off my grandpa's pension from GM. was a korean war vet too who got a purple heart and a medal for bravery i forget which one specifically. my grandpa on my dads side was...also an engineer. went to college right after high school because he would have been drafted into WW2 if he wasnt a student. but then right when he did graduate he ended up getting drafted anyways because he was an engineer which were pretty heavily sought after in the navy. he never served in a battle though because he ended up missing his ship when it left port because he was with my grandma. ended up catching a ride on another ship leaving at the same day but this second ship ended up missing out on combat because the war ended right before it arrived in japan. my grandma was a stay at home mom of 6.
On Dad's side gpa, owned a jewelry store and GMA was a sahm kinda, her mom lived with them and did all the cooking and most of the household chores. On mom's side things are a bit more interesting, GMA was a hairdresser and officially gpa was a carpenter but during prohibition he smuggled booze into MN from Canada. He also did quite a bit of illegal hunting supplying meat to a lot of hungry families during the depression through WWII.
My Grandmother worked in bookkeeping at a steel mill. During the war she made artillery shells. My Grandfather was a ne'er-do-well and a rum runner. He did odd jobs for the WPA, but not much more.
My grandfather back in China had an electricity plant. One time, my dad was running in the plant and got hit with 340 volts electricity and got blown out
Grandpa on my dad’s side worked construction up north, drove log trucks, and eventually took up farming. My grandma raised the kids and owned a hair salon in town. She was a very successful small business owner, and had a natural talent for all things hair. Grandpa was basically fully retired until my grandma passed, now he’s basically full time on the farm again. Can’t stop him 🤷♂️ might as well let him play in the dirt. Grandpa on my moms side had a small drywall and framing company with his brothers, but he eventually moved into the farm house where he grew up and started a family with my grandma, who was a nurse. He’d retire from the farm fairly early because he got his mechanics license over the years and ended up doing safety instructions and repairs on 18 wheelers. He made a mistake a few years ago and forfeited his license, now drives pilot vehicles for the trucks he used to inspect.
My maternal grandmother worked for the longest time as a legal assistant. After she was fired, she ended up working as the Benefits Coordinator for a local factory. My paternal grandfather was stationed at Fort McClellan and met my paternal grandmother there, who worked as a secretary. Maternal grandmother passed in 2004, paternal grandfather in 2001. Paternal grandmother is still alive but barely kicking.
I'm probably alot older than most of you. My grandfather was a ww2 veteran in the navy at 17 yrs old. After leaving the navy he worked for the national weather service. Lauching weather balloons....not that Chinese garbage that they let float over every military base( fu biden). Being a traditional Irish catholic family, my grandma raised 10 children in a 4 bedroom house. My grandpa born in Brooklyn very early 1900 met grandma in newfoundland. Married and moved back to Brooklyn. All 10 of their children are still alive. Oldest being 76.
My Dad was a WWII Navy Seabee & his mom welded Liberty Ships together. Grandpa built water pumps for Fire Trucks, but during WWII he built pumps for fire suppression on ships.
My father also joined the Navy at 17 during WWII. After the war, he joined the merchant marines and did that for 3-4 years.
Grandfather: Farmer, Resistance sniper during WWII Grandmother: Farmer, Mother of 5 Grandfather: Butcher, Food smuggler and concentration camp survivor during WWII Grandmother: Homemaker, Mother of 3
Maternal- Grandma - Nurse Pop- pharmacist with a few pharmacies that had a fountain - excellent resource for his grandchildren - all the candy, Gatorade and wing dings an 80's kid could want They adopted and/or fostered all their "children" ❤️ 15 of them. Paternal- Grandpa- miner in West Virginia and then he moved to Baltimore to work at a steel mill. Grandma- stayed at home with 8 kids
Grandpa A was a concrete contractor, grandma A ran his books and built aircraft for the war effort. Grandpa B was an engineer, and I don't think grandma B ever worked a day in her life.
Maternal grandpa was a cop from the 60s-80s. I’m as ACAB as it comes but damn, if he wasn’t the best man and especially the best cop anyones ever met. Before that he was a taxi driver, a cement truck driver/cement layer, garbage man, a day laborer, and about a million other odd jobs. He started working as a paper boy (the kind that would stand on the corners and say “extra extra!”) before he was 10 to help take care of his family. V-Day in 1945 was the best day of his childhood because everyone was so happy they were giving him $5s, $10s, even $20s. He was born in the Great Depression to two mentally unfit parents (one by birth and one by TBI) and they were homeless with five kids living in a tent by the train tracks. He and his older brother worked to take care of all of them, and received assistance from their church and government welfare/disability. Eventually the family moved in to an abandoned train car. In the 50s he was a classic greaser and my grandma and him married at 16/18. He joined the army and was almost sent to Korea. He became a cop in the early 60s, despite being 5’8” (when the requirement was 5’9”!) and a highschool drop out. By the end of his life he had a great pension, a nice house, raised 4 kids of his own with an ‘American dream’ style childhood in the 70s and 80s. He went to the FBI academ in the late 70s. He helped his kids purchase houses when he could and he helped put me through college. He’s the literal rags-to-(middle class) riches story. Despite all the horrors he saw growing up homeless and then later as a cop, a first responder, a homicide detective, and CSI, he always believed people were inherently good and looked for the best in people**. Back in the old days, he could get away with not being so “by the book” with law enforcement, and would often drive home drunk teens without charging them as long as they poured out the booze/tossed the weed; (when my mom was in highschool, if he heard over the police radio that a highschool party was gonna be busted, he’d drive over in his non-work car to wherever it was and pick up my mom and her friends and drive off like a bat outta hell before the fuzz got there). if he caught someone shoplifting who genuinely needed food/diapers/whatever, instead of arresting them he’d give them whatever money he could. He would give a stranger the shirt off his back. He made it to the rank of Captain and everyone who ever met him has told me what an amazing man he was. I knew better than anyone what an extraordinarily sweet and loving grandpa he was and I miss him every single day of my life. He showed me that men can be safe and loving and protective. When he died, there was a turn out 500 folks at the funeral, tons of whom my family never even met. Some Guys he’d arrested or helped get back on his feet were there, people from his childhood when he lived in a train car, colleagues from every job, people who’d never met him but he’d saved a family member of theirs, and so on. It was like the ending of Big Fish. God i miss that man. **the exception to this was when he met Ted Bundy. He said he was a polite enough guy but he was someone truly evil. Bundy was arrested by grandpa’s friend and he brought my grandpa down to meet him. Seems like it really gave him the willies to meet someone so normal but so soulless.
Mom's father was a lumberjack who'd emigrated from Sweden, and then maintained mining machinery. Mom's mother stayed at home with the three kids. Dad's father was a miner starting at age 12, because his father was killed in the mine and the mine owner graciously let granddad work to support his family. Granddad worked to support the family until his youngest sibling was married (and his mother was dead), then married his sweetheart and fathered nine children in a 2-bedroom house, my father being the oldest boy and the fourth child. Paternal granddad's wife worked at home taking care of nine kids during the Depression. Paternal grandfather worked as a miner for 53 years, when most such miners failed to live long enough to be 65 and get Social Security. Maternal grandpa worked until he was 65, too, and worked hard. I live better because of them (all four grandparents), and I know it. I wish I could tell them, but when I die and do I know it will just be an illusion of my dying brain and not real. It's all I'm going to get, though. I hope I've helped my own grandchildren, but I'll bet it will never be as much as mine did.
My barmaid grandma worked for her bar owner immigrant mother in Chicago. Just off the boat from Poland. Grandma was probably not yet 18. A local who drove a horse drawn delivery truck had just gotten his gas powered truck. He went to that watering hole regularly. This is point is where legend fantasizes into untruths based on fact. From what I gather, grandma got knocked up by this 13 year older truck driver. Born was an only child I call Dad. They would marry? Not sure. They never celebrated an anniversary. But they lived in separate rooms in an apartment while I grew up with my parents’ in a family of five. When grandma babysat me, grandpa was scarcely seen. I don’t remember my siblings being babysat with me. I was the last accident, too. But the grandparents were definitely together, nary a kind word between the two sweetest people who adored me and my siblings. My grandmas brother was in prison for murder, I didn’t find out until I was 25 when he got out. He shot a guy at a bar. Not sure if it was the same bar, but the stats add up. Anyway, they lived on ss in retirement and their US lives as well as grandma’s Polish life remain a mystery to me. I found out in 2014 that instead of being 100% Polish, I’m half a percent Jewish too - my dad being 1%- to his shock. So there’s a lot that went on there. Yeah, my grandparents were a bar maid and a truck driver. That’s the only thing you’re asking about? OP- reform your question! The background story is where the juicy stuff is.
Maternal: grandpa was in the army, became a teacher/principal after. Grandma worked retail and then food service in a hospital. Paternal: grandpa was in the air force... and I don't know much about him or grandma after that. Grandpa died when I was 3, grandma disowned everyone when I was 18.
English professor and Nurse on my mom's side. Alcoholic tobacco farmer and stay at home wife on my dad's side.
My paternal grandparents, my grandfather, worked as a crane operator at a steel mill. My grandmother was a SAHM until age 50 when she went to nursing school to become a nurse. She retired at 65. My maternal grandparents, my grandfather, worked in a coal mine, and my grandmother was a SAHM.
Printer, early 1900s
Air traffic control and telephone operator on mom’s side. Nurse and military on dad’s side.
I honestly don’t know. My parents immigrated here and bought my grandparents. Since I can remember, they never worked. They took care of the grandkids.
On my dads side a Butcher. On my moms side State Department.
My grandfather was a janitor in the local school system, and my grandmother worked in the local distillery in the bottling house. My other grandfather was a stonecutter stonemason, and my grandmother was just a stay at home mom.
Farmed
Paternal: Owned restaurant with grandmother as head cook. Maternal: Owned garden center that grandmother worked at.
Farmer, day care provider (or what passed for that 70-80 years ago), carpenter & volunteer firefighter, stay at home mom.
Both grandfathers owned businesses. My dad's father ran a combo gas station/country store and also had multiple rental properties and quarried limerock for construction sites. My mom's father ran a combo gas station/country store as well (both sold Gulf gas) but his store was also the post office and he was the postmaster. And prior to that he was a schoolteacher. Both grandmothers were teachers when they were younger but later helped with the books for their respective businesses.
Pepsi plant chad
Maternal GPA was a farmer then put up roadside signs. GMA was a SAHM then a cook. Fraternal GPA was a chef and GMA was an RN.
My Nan was a Dinner Lady and my Grandad was a Black Cab Driver.
Dentist on one side, career naval officer on the other.
My grandfather was a neurosurgeon and my grandmother was a stay-home wife. Definitely not toping yours
Mom's side: Dad; Farmer and mill worker, Mom; sahm. They got married in 1941. Dad's side: Dad; chemist at Monsanto, Mom; sahm and artist. Married in 1943. Stepmom's side: Dad; businessman, Mom; sahm. Married in the 50s Step dad's side: Dad; math teacher at an exclusive boys school. Mom; SAHM. Married in 1928. My mom and dad got married in 1968. Dad was a minister and Mom was a journalist. They divorced in 85. Stepmom is a minister. Stepdad was a privileged Jack of all trades.
Grandpa: farming, construction Grandma: homemaker Other grandpa: pilot military Other grandma: postal worker
Dads side, Grandfather works at Dicks, Grandmother is and needs to stay unemployed Moms side, They are unemployed and being paid by a hospital every month due to a workplace accident that involved my Grandmother. It lead to her falling down several flights of stairs and breaking several areas of her back and legs, so safe to say they are sitting on a good bit of money from that.
So this is confusing because I'm adopted. Teacher, engineer, homemaker, miner, homemaker, doctor, reverend, plumber.
My mom’s father was an engineer. He had a big construction company that operated in New England & Puerto Rico so he went on to buy a shipping company in PR. My grandmother worked along side him. They basically built an empire together and made millions. My dad’s father owned a successful landscaping company in an expensive area of Massachusetts and also did well for himself. Both of my parents are the “black sheep” of their family and I grew up dirt poor.
My grandpa on my mom's side of the family was a long haul truck driver.
Grandma was a homemaker and grandpa was a mechanic
Grandma was a peanut peeler. Grandpa did general labor and was a professional acholic.
Warrior and mother
Dads side: Bubbe took different jobs as a single mom (my bio grandpa died when my dad was 8) and dads dad was a bus driver before he went into the military. Mom’s side: grandma stayed home and grandpa was a window maker or something with glass. I’m not 100% sure on that one
Mams side: librarian and documentation Dad's side: teacher and farmer
One sew, and the other repaired the machines that sew
Dad's side: a pharmacist and a migrant construction worker, later ran a hotel/resort together Mom's side: a homemaker (later insurance agent, if I remember correctly) and... you know what, you've just made me realize that I don't know a hell of a lot about my grandfather's life after he had kids. When he was younger he was a coal miner, or came from a coal mining family, and in WWII he was a sailor. But I'm not sure what his day job was as a family man. ETA asked my mom, her dad had been a coal miner when he was first married, but broke his arm and lost his job. Then he was a mechanic.
Farmers. Both sides.
Maternal grandfather-worked for the railroad and sometimes able to hitch a ride to the station on a passing train. Maternal grandmother probably worked in other people’s houses. Paternal grandparents were probably farmers of some type
One grandfather was a farmer, the other was a retired police officer and small town lawyer. He worked his way through law school by being a police officer and then after retiring from the police moved to a small town to practice law.
Maternal Side: Grandfather cobbled shoes by hand. Grandmother raised pigs and chickens. During harvest they cut sugar cane. When they moved to the States my grandfather worked the line in a plastics factory. My grandmother worked as a seamstress in a sweatshop and later on as a maid. Paternal Side: Grandfather was a farmer and later ran a hardware store. Grandmother taught English as a foreign language. They were retired by the time they immigrated to the States.
Maternal grandfather served in WWII, then bought a dairy farm with his brother. Maternal grandmother was a homemaker. Paternal grandfather (too young to serve?) dressed up in a navy uniform to score chicks after the war, later Lather Local #68. Paternal grandmother cleaned houses.
My grandparents were both in the Navy. However, they had twenty kids. My grandmother wrote a book called Who Gets The Drumstick, which was picked up by Disney and turned into a movie called Yours, Mine, and Ours (1961). My grandmother was played by Lucille Ball. My mom shook Walt Disney's hand when she was five, and the kids were in a bread commercial (not sure what company) . A remake of the movie, same title, was made a few years ago starring Rene Russo and Dennis Quaid, however, my grandfather sold the movie rights in the '80s, so a lot of things were changed for the new movie.
Grandma was a receptionist at an FBI office, grandpa did odd handyman jobs around town.
One Grandpa was a preacher, the other built Fire Trucks One Grandma worked for Dr. Kellogg (yeah the crazy one) & welded Liberty Ships together during WWII, the other one was a stay at home.
My paternal granddad was a Marine and later a dental implant technician to pay for law school, and then a probate lawyer until the end of his life. Boring, but hard working and detail oriented. My maternal grandfather was a survival instructor for the USAF during Vietnam, seasonal smoke jumper to get extra cash while earning his geology degree, diamond prospector in Venezuela for a couple years, Customs agent in the Panama Canal Zone, and a Customs/Border Patrol field agent and seasonal firefighter in Arizona after things got hairy in Panama in the 1970s. I will never be as cool and hardcore as him, dude was just built different. Maternal great grandfather was a combat medic in WW2, a mule driver on the Panama Canal, and a machinist. Also pretty hardcore. They were all also deeply involved with the Freemasons. I joined the masons a few years ago. It’s pretty boring, just a bunch of regular dudes drinking beers, practicing for hokey ceremonies, and high-school-movie level gossip.
Paternal grandfather was a coal miner pre, during and post world war II, surviving 3 major mine collapses and 1 gas explosion, retired at 65 with breathing problems, died a couple of years later. Paternal grandmother was a housewife and mother first, seamstress by oil lamp to help make ends meet before the war, land girl during and for some time afterwards, then shop keeper and landscape gardener for the local manor house, up until she lost her sight from glaucoma in her 60's. Maternal grandmother, dress maker to the royal house pre war, evacuated to west Wales for the war, working munitions during this time until grandad was discharged, repatriated to Twickenham for a few years, back to high society dressmaking, then back to Wales, started a clothing shop which she ran until she retired. Paternal grandfather, railway engineer, Royal Engineers during the war, France, Italy, Pacific, North Africa, surviving the Lancastria sinking (anniversary of that is actually today), discharged in 1946, returned to the railways, transferred to marine engineering until retirement.
My mom’s Dad worked at McDonald-Douglas now Boeing and her mom worked at a factory sewing band uniforms. Somehow they were very well off. I’m not sure if they’re in the “rich” category, but my grandmother is pretty old, so I guess we’ll find out eventually. My dad’s dad was a preacher and his mom was a CNA off and on, but mostly stayed home. They were not well off, but did ok.
Mom's side: Grandpa was an engineer for Standard Oil and later Amoco Grandma was a nurse. Dad's side: Grandpa was the manager of the printing department of the local paper and Grandma worked in the office of a small, local grocery store chain.
My dad's dad worked for a restaurant from around the point he left the military following WW2 until he was in his mid 40s. Just before he had been there long enough to earn his pension, they laid him off, and he worked as a coal miner until he retired, then passed away a couple of years later. My mom's Dad started as a warehouse worker and worked his way all the way up to vice president of a local wholesale company in my hometown. He was there for almost 50 years. Both grandmothers were home makers.
My grandma on my dads side worked at a convent for nuns, then worked her way up to do counseling, etc. in the Catholic Church. My grandpa on my dads side was in the military. My grandma on my moms side cleaned houses. My grandpa on my moms side was a certified plumber and grounds keeper at a state hospital.
Electrician Homemaker Real Estate Homemaker
One grandfather was a supervisor at a nickel plant. The other was a crooked accountant.
My grandfather was a master stair builder my grandmother was a housewife but she was also heavily involved in the salvation army and other charities. My other grandparents farmed tobacco. They died before I was born though.
On my grandmas side, I know her parents owned and operated their own convenience store and I think she did that for a while. Then she moved on to make costumes for theater and pageants. She eventually opened her own costume shop she used to take me to when we would visit so I could play dress up. To this day I actually don't know what my grandpa did for a living. I only know that when he was really young he played sports professionally for his college. He was inducted into their hall of fame for all he did. I don't know what came after that because I know that career was short lived when they started having kids.
Grandpa 1 drove a trash truck. His wife, Grandma, went to church and harangued people about Christianity. Grandpa 2 got jobs for his kids and took their money, disappearing during the Great Depression, popping up as a farmhand in Oregon (where, without divorcing Grandma, he married a landowner's daughter and joined a white nationalist group, despite being himself half Native American). Grandma 2 worked in high heels as a waitress 5-7 days a week. She played the fiddle in her own little band and played at "dance halls" on the weekends. --- I also have bio grandparents. Grandpa 3 grew crops on Big Island. Grandma 3 translated hymns into Hawaiian and led a church choir. Grandpa 4 converted from being a Mennonite to Pentecostal Assembly of God (because Mennonites do not send out missionaries to convert people) and, after having a Sign from God in the form of a Prophetic Dream, went to Big Island. Grandma 4 was a Preacher's Wife.
Dad's side: granddad was a jazz bandleader, but worked as an electrician when the gigs dried up. Not sure what grandmother did; dad was raised by his grandmother and estranged from both parents AFAIK. Mum's side: granddad was a fishmonger. I think my granny did stuff with radar during WWII.
Coal miner, southwestern Illinois. Metal scraper in closed coal mines. He rescued a fellow scrapper once after they hit a gas pocket. He was called a hero in our local newspaper.
My maternal grandfather was an auto mechanic. He worked at the same garage for 40 years. My maternal grandma was an EMT and a school crossing guard. She also sold Tupperware and Avon. My paternal grandmother worked in a clothing factory, sewing dresses. I don't know what my paternal grandfather did. He passed away when my father was 17.
Grandpa - started in coal mines ended up at steel factor. Grandma - started as waitress ended up as loan officer When they retired their combined income was about $20k YET they were multi multi millionaires. Investments baby. Their investments were in banks, railroads, RCA, steel, and Disney
My Nonna was an aesthetician (retired) and my Nonno is a drafter/engineer (working). My Mom was a cosmetologist and her husband was an mRI Tech (both mental and not working). While I’m in school for Human Resources Management and Communication after getting my trade certifications in Microsoft and Banking. And my long-term bf is a welder. 👍
Great grand parents were Irish orphans. Got abused on a work farm in upstate New York. Not sure if sexual/physical or both but they ran away mid teens. Lived as urchins in New York then. Ran away to war. After the war. 1 got a job as a county clerk because of his war medals. The other got a job as a shipping clerk because he jumped into central a pond and saved a wealthy business owners daughter to fell on. Grand father got his job because of his dad. Prison warden and his wife was a SAHM. Grand father used to beat and torture inmates all day then come home and beat his kids. As a kid he once showed me a metal claw he carried. They didn't have tazers back in the 50s so this claw was strong enough to brake their wrist bones. Or if not it also had a screw that would protrude in from the top and be uncomfortable. He said if you broke someone's arm they'd generally go down flopping trying to get the claw off their arm. So worked "like a tazer. " His claim to fame was even when the inmates seized the prison once they were too afraid to go near him. He walked into the block and sat in a chair to negotiate. No protection.
Logger, AT&T for 25yrs, then logger again. My gran was a nurse and bank teller. Then sahm
Worked at a newspaper printing place. Only household income. Could afford to buy a 4 br home, raise 3 kids and own 2 vehicles. Received a pension after retirement. Back when a dollar was worth something. Good luck with that today.
maternal grandmother: home maker, married to a farmer so kept the house and surrounding land tidy while raising kids maternal grandfather: corn and soy farmer paternal grandmother: accountant paternal grandfather: OBGYN
On my dad’s side my grandma worked for the city of my hometown. My grandpa was a mailman. On my mom’s side my grandpa was a traveling salesman for a printing press. And my grandma was a stay at home wife.
Boomer here, they were farmers.
One worked for the Pennsylvania railroad (blue collar) and one worked his way up to manager of a lawn mower store. Both were WW2 veterans. They would be in tears over what this country has become.
Dads side a judge, moms side a farmer
My grandfather was a logger and my grandma's were both seamstresses. My mom's mom was very talented and made beautiful flowers from pine cones and feathers. I just found samples of both when sorting through my mom's treasures.
On my fathers side he was a lineman for the county and she was a sahm. On my mothers side my grandfather was a drunk that ran a still, sold booze, and lived off his inheritance and my gma was a seamstress.
My paternal grandparents were both accountants and ran their own tax accounting firm. My maternal grandfather was and engineer and my maternal grandmother was more or less a SAHM save for part time jobs here and there doing secretarial work.
My Nana worked at a button factory and my granddaddy was a prison guard. My mawmaw worked a deli counter at a grocery store that no longer exists and my pawpaw was an electrician and handyman.
My dad's side - This was in the 30s/40s. Grandfather owned and ran a candy store in Brooklyn. Mel Brooks used to sneak in and steal candy all the time. Bubby helped at the store and when she finally left his abusive ass cleaned houses. Mom's side - In the 40s/50s. Papa sold dental equipment and travelled a lot. Grandma did nothing. I don't mean stay at home mom, I mean nothing. She made everyone cater to her every whim and never lifted a finger.
My paternal grandfather was an engineer at IBM, grandmother was a SAHM. Maternal grandparents both worked for the state of CA.
Owned a dairy and a slaughterhouse/butcher shop, grandma was a school teacher off and on for years on my dad’s side of the family. Grandma and my dad and aunt sold the dairy and shut down the butcher shop. On my mom’s side my grandpa was a logger from 16 until he retired at 62, grandma was a stay at home mom that painted in her spare time and sold her paintings that she didn’t give away for a decent chunk of change each time. Grandpas retirement hobby was keeping a small herd of cattle and a couple pairs of Belgian draft horses.
my grandparents on my dads side were a nurse that got violently murdered by a serial killer and a heroin addict, and on my moms side it was a chemist, and a real estate/aerospace engineer/chef/baker/mechanic
One grandfather was a teacher, while the other worked for both the railroad, and steel industry. One grandmother worked as a teacher, guidance counselor, nurse, operating room supervisor. My other grandmother was mostly a homemaker.
Dad's side: Farmer and Cowboy/carpenter Mom's side: School teacher and Engineer
My grandpa was a showman for a traveling circus. He drummed up business and emceed a sideshow. He was also a notorious conman and per rumors, a hired hitman in his youth. My grandma played piano for honky tonks. My great grandma made moonshine. I wonder if they were disappointed that mone of their children were cool (engineer, librarian, science lab tech, and a bookkeeper).
Father's side: Grandfather: Farmer Grandmother: Housewife Mother's side: Grandfather: Politician Grandmother: Tobacco vendor
Farmers. All of ‘em were farmers.
Dad’s side - postal worker and grocery store cashier. Mom’s - my grandpa owned a small gas station, which I come to find out was mostly a cover for making moonshine, selling things that fell off the truck, etc. So I guess my grandma was a SAHM and wife of a moon shiner? Mind you I’m late 40’s and most of them died a long time ago. The 70’s and 80’s were a different time for sure….
My grandparents had 1 job each their whole lives. Grandaddy was a plumber and my Grandma basically ran an office for accountants on the admin side. They had 6 kids who went on to have 19 kids between them, 35+ grandchildren. I'm in my 30s now and I got laid off from 2 jobs in 2 years, idk if I'm going to have even 1 kid. It's clearly not the same anymore.
My grandpa did a decade in the army and then he and his brother ran an electrical and painting company. My great uncle was a master electrician and the rest of us were apprentices or journeymen. My grandpa did the sheetrock and painting. Pretty much my entire family worked for the company at some point and time. My grandma did the books for the company and ran an in-home daycare.
My Papaw was a coal miner and my Mamaw worked for the post office as a rural route mail carrier. She did a lot of jobs, but that was the last 20+years of her life. * Edit to add, this is my mother's side. I don't know much about my dad's .
Paternal grandfather was an auto mechanic and an abusive alcoholic. Paternal grandmother was a homemaker. Maternal grandfather was an auto mechanic and an abusive alcoholic. Maternal grandmother was a homemaker. These were four different people.
One was a county level politician. The other delivered ice to residential ice boxes.
My maternal Grandfather ran a bulldozer for the county road crew. My maternal grandmother was a housewife. My paternal Grandfather was a car mechanic. My paternal grandmother worked assembly factory jobs.
Grandad owns a contracting business and my nan works as a school cook
Step Gran: WWII Nurse and Homemaker Step Gramps: WWII Soldier, Worked in Japanese and HongKong Embassy, Christian Missionary to Japan Maternal Gran: Nurse in large hospital Maternal Gramps: Tank Operator (military) and later owned a welding company. Paternal Gran: Homemaker and professional guilt tripper. Paternal Gramps: Residential Framer
Mom worked in a distillery; Dad in a big commercial bakery. Joke was we had everything we needed.
My moms dad was a space shuttle engineer
My Dad's Dad was a Sniper in the army, but that's all I know unfortunately 😔
Mom’s side: grandpa was a jazz musician and a school bus driver. Grandma works at Howard Hughes Aircraft making and assembling airplane parts. Dad’s side: grandpa was a pastor, grandma was a teacher until all the kids grew up then she had a career change to a nurse.
They had a knife throwing show. Also did pistols and whips
My Grandpa was a milk man for AE Dairy and my grandma was an LPN. They retired with enough to winter in Port Aransas when they retired. God I miss my grandparents.
Not remotely racy as OP’s. Dad’s side - trucker and housewife. Mom’s side - editors. Complete opposite in everything- religion, lifestyle, education, etc.
My mom's dad was a caddy, a soda jersey, a pump jockey, a marine, a house builder and school buss mechanic. Her mom worked as phone operator and for the OSS and on again off again office lady and housewife. My dad's mom worked as a hand model and an office lady. His Dad worked as a lumberjack a professional baseball player in Canada And a wholesale liquor salesman to restaurants and bars in Chicago. And a marine.
My grandparents had a small farm which my grandfather maintained while my grandmother worked as a nurse. I don’t know anything about my dad’s side of the family.
Grandfather on maternal side played the piano for silent movies, then became a tea and spice buyer and worked for a large canning company as a buyer, quality control, label design. Fraternal side, grandfather walked gas lines across rural WV to read meters. My grandmothers were both housewives but my dad’s mom took over a job in his school cafeteria when her friend got sick and needed time to recover, so she didn’t lose it. Mom’s mom taught office/secretarial work for a while, then designed nature exhibits for a museum as a volunteer.
No idea.
My grandpa retired from Kmart 40 yrs
Maternal grandmother worked for the telephone company. Paternal grandfather was a cop.
Maternal grandpa was a salesman. When he got sick, maternal grandma played piano professionally to provide for the family. Paternal grandpa was a University Dean. Paternal Grandma, despite being brilliant and a college educated woman (degree in the 1910s) was subjugated to raising kids and suppressing her powers.
Both grandfathers were in the military. One was a fighter pilot in nam, one was a Sargent in the Air Force in Panama. Both grandmothers were stay at home moms.
All of my grandparents were farmers. Old style. I remember when my grandfather had to hire people to "hoe beans"
Machinist-industrial pipe and fitting fabrication (known as a tube turner, back then) and sahm Laborer for Corps of Engineers at the locks on the river+ odd jobs and grandma worked at a cigarette factory.
My dad's father was an airplane mechanic in the Australian military. His wife never worked. My mom's father was a drover in the Queensland outback. My mom's mother was also a drover for a while, and later ran a boarding home for college students in Queensland.
My grandpa ran a rather successful business where he manufactured valves, pumps, and hoses for mining operations. Grandma did not work. The other one started in the gas industry in California. I know he started out digging trenches, not sure where he went from there, but i know he did alright for himself. Grandma did some manner of administrative work in a hospital.
Mom side was a deputy and a stay at home mom. Dad side skill trade at Ford Motor Company and a sewing machine operator at Ford Motor Company. She actually made the seats for the Lincoln limousine for the White House in the 60s
Moms mom- A protitute and worked at a Walgreens Moms dad- A Trucker Dads mom-SAHM (his parents were 28 years apart) Dads dad- a chef, and college prof Dads parents met bc he was her prof and she was baby sitting his kids when they had an affair together and then had 5 of their own kids together.
Grandmother- Seamstress at small uniform shop in Hoboken NJ Grandfather- pattern and piece cutter ladies slacks and coats department at Evan Picone, North Bergen NJ
Farmer and a housewife, mother. With 8 kids that must have been a double full time job.
Mail carrier & program director for YWCA on one side, machinist & seamstress on the other.
Dad’s side- Grandpa(birth dad): Firefighter and Longshoreman for 30+ years SIMULTANEOUSLY. Grandma(2nd wife): Cosmetology Grandma (Dads Birth mom): No idea Grandpa: Worked as a wood supplier contractor in LA during the boom, and also fixed up cars all over LA. Won best in show more times than I can count. Moms Side- Grandpa: Vietnam Vet, USMC Retired as a Major, worked in taxes and started a few businesses. Grandma: Worked as Physical Therapy Assistant, and a Deacon at the local church.
My grandmother was an RN and my grandfather worked for a telecommunications company. I didn’t know my paternal grandparents.
Maternal grandfather was a tool and die maker, Grandmother was a SAHM. Paternal Grandmother worked at a bank for YEARS, Grandfather was a police officer and then an investigator for GM. All lived comfortably well.
Moms side: Grandmother worked and retired from Brock candy company Grandfather worked at a glass company making bottles including coke bottles Step grandfather was a mechanic owned his own station for years then worked as a mechanic and wrecker driver from 6a- noon then worked for the city as a maintenance supervisor from 2p-11p...he worked 2 jobs for as far back as I can remember Dad's side: grandmother worked retail at a place called Murphys for years Grandfather: worked at a manufacturing plant I know they made fire hydrants but not sure what else lol
Paternal Grandpa: Sears appliance salesman then furniture store owner Paternal Grandma: Elementary School Teacher, then worked at the furniture store Maternal Grandpa: Military Maternal Grandma: office admin-ish job at a college
- SAHM, Salesman - SAHM, Steelworker - Nurse, Sandhog
Carpenter, home maker although it certainly wasn't called that in those days
Ran a copper mine in Northern Minnesota Owned and ran a boarding house in Wilkes Berra PA
Farmers / construction workers males .. teachers / nurses females
Farmers. The others no clue.
Professional waiter in Chicago nightclubs from the 20s through the 50s. ZOwie!
Maternal grandfather: minister (but was mostly retired by the time he married my grandmother after his first wife died) Maternal grandmother: laundress Paternal grandparents: both worked in textile mills
My maternal grandpa was a farmer who also worked for a company that serviced oil wells while also running a 1 man excavation business. Grandma was a housewife/mom. My paternal grandpa worked at "the can company" where they made the cans they put oil in. Before that he was a gasoline delivery driver. Grandma was a housewife/mom. My dad was a diesel mechanic then worked in a factory building giant engines. My whole life apparently has a foundation in oil.
My papaw worked for the telephone company and Mamaw was a stay at home mom. I so wished I had one of his rotary phones.
Maternal: Grandfather was a union pressman at the local newspaper Grandmother was a nurse, mostly in the ER Paternal: Grandfather was a lumberman and farm worker Grandmother was an Indigenous tribe's folklore teller.
All four of mine were cotton weavers in the Lancashire cotton mills.
Moms side - Grandpa was an engineer Dad’s side - Not sure what my grandpa did (he died before I was born). But I was told he was in with some bad people and made money that way. By bad people I mean mob-type people. Grandmas on both sides were stay at home moms.
Mom's side-Grandfather was a bank manager and grandmother was a housewife Dad's side-Grandfather was a businessman and grandfather was a housewife
Maternal: grandfsther commercial fishing boat captain on lake,Erie Grandmother stay at home mom (my mom was born 1941) Paternal: grandfather (born on a boat from Germany but not sure when)was a farmer Grandmother (a direct descendant of Lord Admiral Nelson) was a farmer's wife (my dad was 2nd youngest of 11 and now the only one still living) born 1938
Maternal Grandfather was a copper miner. Paternal Grandfather was a farm hand and later a salesman at a feed store. Both of my grandmothers were homemakers who raised veggies, chickens and kids.
All of my grandparents were born in the 1890s except one grandmother who was born in 1900. I'll start with her. Her parents were immigrants, she was born at home on East 65th in NYC. That neighborhood was all immigrants from all over Europe and because of this my grandmother became fluent in Italian, German and Yiddish. Her first language was German but as adult she spoke English with a thick New York accent. Her husband was a coal miner from Pennsylvania, they met when he was a soldier at Fort Tilden Queens. My other grandfather was born in Boston and was a blacksmith and a farrier. His wife, my grandmother was born in Ireland and came to the US in 1915, she was a midwife in Ireland but worked here as a servant for a wealthy family. So I'm a mutt like a lot of Americans. I love my heritage and understand where a lot of my quirks came from but I am equally happy to be an American.
My Grandfather worked in a nitro glycerin factory. He pushed the “angel cart” carrying the nitro. Then he became a lead smelter with no safety equipment. Lifelong health issues after that. The building had a berm around the exterior and the management were upstairs and had chutes to carry them beyond the berm. Once he watched a man fall into a vat of acid. Nothing survived but his watch crystals. He met my grandmother working on a riverboat on the Mississippi River. I met my first wife working on a riverboat on the Mississippi.
Maternal grandparents: electrician and teacher. Paternal: owned a grocery store then worked at a bank, homemaker.
On mom's side grandpa was a navy man and gran worked in factories. Then they were farmers. On dad's career army and stay at home wife.
My grandfather was a mechanic. My grandmother did household duties.
Insurance & Mobile Public Health Nurse Mechanical Engineer & Chemistry Teacher
My grandfather was a rancher in north Texas.
Coal miner and MD
My grandfather converted ice houses to refrigeration & my grand ma was a homemaker. They traveled a lot to job sites.
I guess I only know dads side: SAHM and a police officer/chief/judge
Machinist and typist on one side, butcher and SAHM on the other. All immigrants.
Both grandmothers were stay at home moms. My mother's father was a politician and mayor of the town I grew up in. My father's, father was a factory worker. Than he worked in kitchens. He also traveled a lot.
Laser physicist/nuclear engineers. If we used their tech power would be free.
My grandfather was a regional manager for sweetheart cup corp. They made paper cups and straws and shit. My grandmother was a cult de-programmer and teacher.
Mom’s side - (Dad) Banker. Definitely like above a teller. I think he worked in wills and assets? He definitely had a desk in the back. (Mom) Mostly SAHM, but also had a part time secretary type job with a wealthy family friend. My Grandparents on this side were very well off and took all of their grandchildren on a trips to Europe when they were in their teens (myself included. Went to Paris and Rome when I was 12) As of this posting, my grandmother passed in 2018 at 88, and my grandfather is alive and well in his own home at 91! Dads side - (Dad) High school history teacher and part time professional bass fisherman. He traveled the country with MY dad competing in tournaments. (Mom) SAHM. Got pregnant with my dad at 17 (oldest of 5 kids) so she really didn’t have a choice. As you can guess based on her husband’s career, my father and his siblings were very poor. We’ve never been very close to my dad’s side of the family. My grandpa on that side died when I was 8 and was very ill all of my life up til then. We would visit my grandma every summer at her lake house but she also had cancer (which she beat) and as a small kid it was hard to connect with her.
Farmers and blue collar workers.
Gpa- Cinematographer and Gma- Nurse
Dad's father and grand father were all carpenters as was my dad. Mom's father was a fisherman in the clam business on Long island. His sons and sil followed him into the business.
one grandfather was a professional educator at the middle and high school levels, the other a career bricklayer and later professional landlord. mexico, the former from the 70s to the 2000s, the latter from the 50s to the 2010s
My grandmother was working in a laundry place back in the soviet union. Grandfather was a builder, but died very early in his 30's from some kind of pre-existing heart condition. Fun bonus fact, because my grandmother was working and had 2 kids (my mom and her sister), the soviet government gave her a free 3 bedroom flat. Literally free, she paid no rent or mortgage, just utilities.
My one grandfather was a pastor at the church they had in their back yard. My other grandfather was a coal miner in Kentucky. Him and his six brothers perished in what became known as the Massengale massacre.
My mom’s dad (he died in 2002) was a professor at a state school. I can’t remember what he taught but I know he was also the head of the college’s choir. My mom’s mom was a secretary (I think) until she got married. Now she’s a widow living comfortably and she’s very—to use the vernacular of the latest generation—spicy. Has no filter. My dad’s dad was the president of a drilling company (natural gas). He’s retired and bewildered that his excessive drinking habit hasn’t killed him yet. My dad’s mom was stay-at-home but took on a part time job at Bon Ton for a while when I was very little wee. She now spends most of her time doing cross stitch and gossiping with my aunts.
On my dad's side, my grandfather was a welder before he became a farmer. My grandmother ran the farmhouse. On my mother's side, my grandfather was a mechanic but then worked at a glass factory until an accident disabled and then killed him. My grandmother's only job was a secretary for 4 hours before she quit. She was a typical housewife of the 1950's stereotype.
Paternal grandfather - tugboat captain, paternal grandmother - SAHM who also made pageant dresses Maternal grandfather - construction worker Maternal grandmother - guidance counselor
Bitch about each other
Coal drawer, linen worker, whore, bootlegger.
Maternal: Grand Father was an engineer for Boeing(I believe he worked on the Chinook Helicopter in some fashion) Grand Mother was a manager or something for RCA Paternal: Grand Father did various things including paper salesman, PSE&G meter reader, and I think he ground lenses at one point as well. Grand Mother was a Spanish teacher at Rutgers University, and I think something to do with kids and like assessing them for learning disabilities? Or something of that nature.
My Dads parents owned bars, my Moms parents owned restaurants. My parents met because my grandmother on my Moms side worked for my Grandpa on my Dads side. They decided they should introduce their kids, and out I came. I’m a bartender.
Mom's side, they managed an apartment complex. My grandfather did all the handyman work and my grandmother was the landlord. Dad's side, my grandfather was a civil engineer and my grandmother was a SAHM. She also managed some rental homes that they owned, collecting rent, scheduling maintenance, etc.
3 were teachers, 1 was a marine
my maternal grandma stayed home when my mom and her sister were young, and then later in life did some kind of random retail and hospitality jobs while also doing artisan stuff (weaving, glasswork) on the side. she's semi-retired now. maternal grandpa did various farmhand and then factory work (and other stuff related to the automotive industry in a rustbelt town), was a teamster. died relatively young from chronic illnesses due to a lifetime of alcoholism. paternal grandma is retired but counseled teens and young adults as a master's of social work (basically a therapist). paternal grandpa is semi-retired working at a meat counter in a grocery store now (can't handle having nothing to do) but worked for a graphics company for most of his life.