Healthy competition turns to marital bliss

Grant MacLean and Linda Garrelts MacLean will celebrate 39 years of marriage October 14, 2022.

By Kelly Sylvester, director of advancement & alumni relations

Although Grant MacLean (’73) and Linda Garrelts MacLean (’78) both graduated from the Washington State University (WSU) pharmacy program, they never met in college. It wasn’t until they were working as competing pharmacists that they initially became acquainted. Grant was working for a Rosauers location on the South Hill in Spokane, Washington, while Linda was working for Jones Pharmacy just two blocks away. They had their first date just after Linda graduated from the WSU College of Pharmacy in 1978, and as they say, the rest is history. Their professional rivalry saw an end shortly thereafter when Grant became the Director of Pharmacy for Rosauers and moved to their corporate office. It was a job he held for the rest of his career.

Grant was proud to have been one of the first to put pharmacies into grocery stores in the four northwest states where Rosauers operates. Linda stayed at Jones Pharmacy and went on to purchase the pharmacy with business partner Rick Jones. Linda and Rick eventually owned three pharmacies until they sold them in 2000. Grant retired from Rosauers, which was an employee-owned company when it sold in 2000.

Grant and Linda were married in 1983 and found themselves caught in a hurricane on their honeymoon in Mexico. That didn’t deter them from giving up on future travel to Mexico or anywhere else, as they have been avid travelers throughout their marriage. They return to Mexico almost every year for the holidays and have been all over the world on vacations. They love traveling with family and friends!

Their three daughters have been the center of their lives and they are very proud of their family. Kaili, their oldest, is an attorney and is married to Lonnie who works with DocuSign. Their middle daughter, MacKenzie, teaches at Cataldo Catholic school and is married to Nick who is a software engineer. Cassie, their youngest, works for Amazon in Seattle. All three daughters love tennis, skiing and swimming and they still enjoy doing all those activities together on vacations, even in Mexico, where it all began.

Linda said she is very grateful to have had the opportunity for a second career (post pharmacy ownership) in academia with the WSU College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (CPPS). She especially enjoyed being a part of the profession on the academic side because it was so fulfilling as she watched and mentored so many young pharmacists become leaders in the profession.

Grant and Linda will celebrate 39 years of marriage on October 14, 2022. Congratulations to the MacLeans and their family.

Linda Garrelts MacLean retired from the WSU CPPS on July 1, 2021 and will be honored with the R. Keith Campbell Lifetime Achievement Award (along with John Oftebro, ’65) at the 2022 Crimson Gala on Friday, October 7 in Spokane, Washington.