CHRIS LeRoy GRABOW

REFSLAND, GRABOW, VISSER, ASHBAUGH, KIMMELL, BEACH, BOWES, MARTIN

Posted By: Mary Durr (email)
Date: 5/23/2003 at 11:13:58

Chris L. Grabow

Telegraph Herald - Thursday, May 1, 2003

Chris LeRoy Grabow, 51, of 2306 Queen St., entered into eternal life Tuesday, April 29, 2003, at The Finley Hospital, with his wife Jo by his side.

Services will be at 3:30 p.m. Friday at Third Presbyterian Church, with burial in Linwood Cemetery. Friends may call from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Hoffmann-Schneider Funeral Home, 1640 Main St., where there will be a sharing time from 7 to 8 p.m.

He was born on Jan. 11, 1952, in Rockford, Ill., son of LeRoy and Avangeline (Refsland) Grabow.

Chris received degrees from Western University and his master's degree from Aquinas Institute, Dubuque, in philosophy and theology.

He worked for the Scenic Valley Area Agency on Aging, receiving recognition from the governor. He then worked at Hillcrest Family Services, receiving honors for his dedication to youth.

He and his wife JoNita (Visser) developed programs for domestic violence and co-wrote the script of "Whispers" and directed dedicated troupes of students they took throughout the Midwest to raise awareness of child abuse.

Chris was a gifted writer, published poet and known as a gentle, humble soul to all who knew him. He was active in the fine arts, enjoying his involvement in theater and as a charter member of the Dubuque Writer's Guild.

Surviving are his wife, Jo (Visser) Grabow; three sons, Howard, Al and Tony, all at home; his parents, Avangeline and LeRoy Grabow; a sister, Kathleen (Roger) Ashbaugh, of Machesney Park, Ill.; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Jeri (Joel) Kimmell, Jan (Joe) Beach, Charles Visser and Judie Bowes; and nephews and nieces, Terry and Cheryl Bowes, Tim and Beth Bowes, Christine Beach, Kym and Devin Martin and Nathan Kimmell.

He was preceded in death by a sister, Sandra, in 2001.

A Chris L. Grabow Memorial Fund has been established, and may be sent to 2306 Queen St., Dubuque, Iowa 52001.

The family wishes to thank Darryl Mozena, the nurses of Finley fifth and fourth floors, Joan Kruel and the nurses of Finley Homecare, staff at Iowa City 3 JPW, the staffs of Hillcrest On Campus School and Washington Junior High School, Christine Davis, Dale Lass and Linda Bakey and the many, many other friends and professionals who have meant so much to us.