CLAREMONT, NH — Former general manager of the Valley News, Alan S. Grigsby, 75, of Claremont, NH died Sunday, July 26, 2020 from complications of Multiple Myeloma at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Grigsby came to Lebanon in 1986 after serving as vice president and editor of The Register-Star in Hudson, NY. He started his newspaper career there in 1967 as a reporter.

“Local news and lots of it,” he maintained, “is the chief ingredient for the success of a local daily newspaper. If that service to the community is placed second to profit, then the newspaper will gradually lose circulation and advertising support. The reader must come first.”

During his tenure at the Valley News he oversaw construction of a multi-million dollar addition to the plant which included new inserting equipment and the flexographic press used to print the newspaper. The conversion from offset printing was the first in the United States.

After leaving the Valley News in 1990, Grigsby was vice president and general manager of The Times Argus in Barre, Vt., and in 1998 publisher of the Eagle Times in Claremont. He retired in 2000.

He held various offices with the New York State Society of Newspaper Editors and was active in the New England Newspaper Association.

Grigsby was a member, and held various offices in Lions Clubs for more than 45 years, and locally served in the White River Junction, Claremont, and Fall Mountain clubs. He was a member of the First Congregational Church of Lebanon and, later, the First Congregational Church of Claremont where he served on the Diaconate.

As the citizen member, he was the first chairman of the New Hampshire Board of Licensed Dietitians. Grigsby was also a member of the Claremont Planning Board and served twice as chairman.

He served on the Claremont Community Television Board of Directors and on a Claremont master plan committee.

He taught and played bridge in the Claremont, Charlestown and Springfield, Vt., area, was an avid kayaker, and was a member of the Claremont Senior Center.

For 10 years, he was manager of Westwood Village Condominium in Claremont.

Recently, he was a volunteer driver for Community Alliance Transportation and took people to appointments, work or shopping.

Grigsby was a graduate of the University of Massachusetts in Amherst where he majored in English and wrote for the college newspaper and a college magazine.

He was the son of the late Jack W. and Evelyn (Daniels) Grigsby of Foxboro, Mass.

He is survived by his former spouse, past Lebanon City Councilor Theresa Grigsby, and their sons, Casey Grigsby and wife Amanda of Sharon, Vt., and Greg Grigsby and wife Margy of Grantham, NH., and grandchildren, Claire Grigsby of Hartford, Vt., and Jack and Sam Grigsby of Sharon and step-grandchildren Paige Torres of Wallingford, Vt., Elye Ashline of Sharon, Vt., and Justin DeCarlo of Grantham, N.H..

A public walk through visitation will be held from 1:00 – 2:00 pm on Sunday, August 2, 2020 at the Roy Funeral Home, 93 Sullivan Street, Claremont, NH. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the funeral home and the Grigsby family ask those attending the visitation to please wear a face covering and observe social distancing. A private memorial service will be held at the convenience of the family.

Interment will be at Rockhill Cemetery in Foxborough, Mass., on Saturday, August 8, 2020 at 2:00 pm.