Scott "Andy" Gridley, 62, passed away in Seattle on March 20, 2026. Andy was born on December 3, 1963, in Fresno, CA, to Bert and Anne Gridley, and his older brother Mark, who held him on his lap on the way home from the hospital. He was loved completely from the beginning.
Andy was a student all his life. He was fascinated with new things. As a small child, he loved bugs, watching and eating them. He made his own math equations and solved them.
After a couple of years in Fresno, Andy's family moved back to Orange County, where they had deep roots. Andy grew up in sunny Southern California, spending time at the ocean, at the drag races, speedway races, and riding his bike everywhere, including trips up to Disneyland, where he seemed to collect endless supplies of "E" tickets. He met lifelong friends attending Christ Lutheran Elementary School. His older brother Mark often brought his little brother along on adventures to rock concerts, including Cal Jam 2 at Ontario Motor Speedway.
In his freshman year, Andy's family moved again, this time to Porterville, CA. Andy joined clubs and competed in football, wrestling, and track. He also found many, many friends. He worked in the family machine shop and enjoyed time in the Sequoia Mountains, swimming in the river, and playing in the orchards near home. After high school, Andy attended several colleges before finally making his way to Fresno State and its Ag program. Department. He joined the Delta Upsilon fraternity, and it was this group of amazing boys that helped steer his career and life. During college breaks, they invited him to Napa Valley for trips home. Andy met everyone's mom and dad and made friends with them. These same college friends, after graduation, convinced Andy to move to Napa and work with them. Once in Napa Valley, Andy was the ultimate couch surfer and renter, and lived with everyone at some point. It gave him the opportunity to meet more people.
He worked installing vineyards, worked crushing at Pine Ridge, and worked at Central Valley Hardware. Andy then moved on to hosting everyone around the world at tasting rooms, including Peju Winery, Frank Family Vineyards, Rombauer, and Napa Wine Company. The people and connections he made at these places led him to be hired in 2007 by Boutes Cooperage to sell their French oak barrels. Andy loved selling barrels. He was meeting and connecting with winemakers, owners, and old friends, and tasting and advising on how he could help. Andy always reached out to the entire team to say hello or ask someone to join him for a drink. He annually took customers to France on tours of how barrels are made from the forest to the mills to the cooperage. The tales and adventures from those trips created lasting memories for everyone who was lucky enough to attend.
Andy met his wife, Susan, in the Rombauer tasting room. He asked her out for four years before she accepted. She didn't want to date the man who knew everyone in town. In less than a year, they snuck up to Lake Tahoe and, on May 1, 2001, were married on the Tahoe Gal paddlewheel boat in the middle of the lake. Family and friends received notes on the day of the wedding announcing their elopement. A complete surprise to everyone! He often referred to her as his Bride. They were a close couple and were often seen traveling together for pleasure and work. They loved spending time together, no matter the occasion, but preferred a good travel adventure, including a recent street food tour in Manila for Andy's birthday.
When he moved to Napa, he initially played softball, golfed as often as he could, and eventually played summer bocce. He always loved an opportunity to be by a beach or a pool and was always the first one in the water. He loved Mardi Gras and was excited when his wife recently became a full-riding member of the Krew of Muses. This meant he had the perfect reason to return every year to spend time with their Nola family. He and his wife were also lucky enough to have a condo in Hawaii and formed a special Aloha family that meant so much to them on their visits.
Andy inspired those around him through his kindness, generous nature, heartfelt advice, his consistently reaching out to friends throughout the years, and his willingness to be up for an adventure. He loved sending out their annual Valentine's Day cards and loved cooking shrimp boils for friends and family. He believed you needed to know a little about everything so you could connect with anyone. He and his family are blessed to be among the kindest people you will ever meet and love.
Andy truly cared for the people he loved, and so it showed.
He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Susan Durbrow; his mom, Anne Gridley; his brother, Mark Gridley and his wife, Wendy, and their children, Seanan Gridley and Meghan Gridley; his mother-in-law, Ellen Cotten; his sister-in-law, Sandra Durbrow and her husband, Jim Head-Corliss; and his sister-in-law, Colleen Cotten and her husband, Brad.
He was preceded in death by his father, Bert Gridley, and his father-in-law, Carroll Cotten.
A wake honoring Andy's life will be held on Friday, April 10, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. at St. Helena Native Sons Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Rianda House.
Andy was a student all his life. He was fascinated with new things. As a small child, he loved bugs, watching and eating them. He made his own math equations and solved them.
After a couple of years in Fresno, Andy's family moved back to Orange County, where they had deep roots. Andy grew up in sunny Southern California, spending time at the ocean, at the drag races, speedway races, and riding his bike everywhere, including trips up to Disneyland, where he seemed to collect endless supplies of "E" tickets. He met lifelong friends attending Christ Lutheran Elementary School. His older brother Mark often brought his little brother along on adventures to rock concerts, including Cal Jam 2 at Ontario Motor Speedway.
In his freshman year, Andy's family moved again, this time to Porterville, CA. Andy joined clubs and competed in football, wrestling, and track. He also found many, many friends. He worked in the family machine shop and enjoyed time in the Sequoia Mountains, swimming in the river, and playing in the orchards near home. After high school, Andy attended several colleges before finally making his way to Fresno State and its Ag program. Department. He joined the Delta Upsilon fraternity, and it was this group of amazing boys that helped steer his career and life. During college breaks, they invited him to Napa Valley for trips home. Andy met everyone's mom and dad and made friends with them. These same college friends, after graduation, convinced Andy to move to Napa and work with them. Once in Napa Valley, Andy was the ultimate couch surfer and renter, and lived with everyone at some point. It gave him the opportunity to meet more people.
He worked installing vineyards, worked crushing at Pine Ridge, and worked at Central Valley Hardware. Andy then moved on to hosting everyone around the world at tasting rooms, including Peju Winery, Frank Family Vineyards, Rombauer, and Napa Wine Company. The people and connections he made at these places led him to be hired in 2007 by Boutes Cooperage to sell their French oak barrels. Andy loved selling barrels. He was meeting and connecting with winemakers, owners, and old friends, and tasting and advising on how he could help. Andy always reached out to the entire team to say hello or ask someone to join him for a drink. He annually took customers to France on tours of how barrels are made from the forest to the mills to the cooperage. The tales and adventures from those trips created lasting memories for everyone who was lucky enough to attend.
Andy met his wife, Susan, in the Rombauer tasting room. He asked her out for four years before she accepted. She didn't want to date the man who knew everyone in town. In less than a year, they snuck up to Lake Tahoe and, on May 1, 2001, were married on the Tahoe Gal paddlewheel boat in the middle of the lake. Family and friends received notes on the day of the wedding announcing their elopement. A complete surprise to everyone! He often referred to her as his Bride. They were a close couple and were often seen traveling together for pleasure and work. They loved spending time together, no matter the occasion, but preferred a good travel adventure, including a recent street food tour in Manila for Andy's birthday.
When he moved to Napa, he initially played softball, golfed as often as he could, and eventually played summer bocce. He always loved an opportunity to be by a beach or a pool and was always the first one in the water. He loved Mardi Gras and was excited when his wife recently became a full-riding member of the Krew of Muses. This meant he had the perfect reason to return every year to spend time with their Nola family. He and his wife were also lucky enough to have a condo in Hawaii and formed a special Aloha family that meant so much to them on their visits.
Andy inspired those around him through his kindness, generous nature, heartfelt advice, his consistently reaching out to friends throughout the years, and his willingness to be up for an adventure. He loved sending out their annual Valentine's Day cards and loved cooking shrimp boils for friends and family. He believed you needed to know a little about everything so you could connect with anyone. He and his family are blessed to be among the kindest people you will ever meet and love.
Andy truly cared for the people he loved, and so it showed.
He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Susan Durbrow; his mom, Anne Gridley; his brother, Mark Gridley and his wife, Wendy, and their children, Seanan Gridley and Meghan Gridley; his mother-in-law, Ellen Cotten; his sister-in-law, Sandra Durbrow and her husband, Jim Head-Corliss; and his sister-in-law, Colleen Cotten and her husband, Brad.
He was preceded in death by his father, Bert Gridley, and his father-in-law, Carroll Cotten.
A wake honoring Andy's life will be held on Friday, April 10, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. at St. Helena Native Sons Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Rianda House.