Maxine Gronau

Maxine Mable Gronau was born November 8, 1924, the daughter of Harvey and Hertha Ernst Else. She passed away Tuesday, July 23, 2013, at the Crawford County Memorial Hospital in Denison, Iowa, at the age of 88.
Maxine was born in Grant Township in Ida County, Iowa. She was baptized November 30, 1924, and confirmed April 10, 1938, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Grant Township. Maxine received her education in the Grant Township country school and attended Schleswig High School graduating with the class of 1942.
After graduation, she taught in the rural school at Schleswig for one year, then worked at the Farmers State Bank in Schleswig until she was united in marriage to John Gronau at Trinity Lutheran Church, Grant Township, on June 8, 1947. The couple made their home on the Gronau family farm and were blessed with the birth of three children. Maxine stayed busy working on the farm, raising her family, and serving at St. John Lutheran Church in Stockholm Township where she taught Sunday School for many years and served in the Ladies Aid. In 1980 John died in an auto accident and Maxine remained working on the farm for several years.
In 1982, Maxine built a home and moved to Denison where she joined Our Savior Lutheran Church. Her faith remained very important to her and she continued to serve as a member and officer of the LWML and Women’s Guild, and was involved in many church activities. Maxine also served her community as a member of the Crawford County Hospital and Eventide Auxiliary boards. Maxine enjoyed visiting residents in Eventide and continued to do so even after she became a resident there in December 2010.
Family was very important to Maxine and she enjoyed the time they were able to spend together visiting at home or taking trips together. Her pride and joy were her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, which includes three sets of twins.
Maxine was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, John; one sister, Bernice Moeller and her husband, John; and one brother-in-law, Bob Ostermann. She is survived by two sons, Douglas Gronau and his wife, Judy of Vail, Iowa; and Dale Gronau and his wife, Sandy of Kiron, Iowa; one daughter, Susan Ackerman and her husband, Dennis of Boone, Iowa; nine grandchildren: Andrea Gronau, Greg Gronau, Todd Gronau, Troy Gronau and his wife, Jessie, Stephanie Gronau, Jarad Gronau and his wife, Pam, Jennifer Heiden and her husband, Colton, Jessica Ackerman, and Daniel Ackerman; eight great-grandchildren: Dayton, Brody, Drake, Cael, Austin, Brayden, Caden, and Shae; one sister, Eileen Ostermann of Holstein, Iowa; one sister-in-law, Malinda Dahms of Houston, Texas; one brother-in-law, Ray Gronau and his wife, Mary of Lenexa, Kansas; and other relatives and friends.