GRONINGA, Luke J. 1896-1985

GRONINGA, OLTHOFF, GETTING, BECKER

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 10/6/2013 at 10:28:26

Luke Groninga, Former County Official, Dead

Luke Groninga died at 7 a.m. Monday, October 14th, at his home in Wellsburg due to complications of advanced age. He reached the age of 89 years, one month and 29 days.

Funeral services for Mr. Groninga were held on Wednesday, October 16, 1985 at 1:30 p.m. at the St. John's Lutheran Church in Wellsburg. Pastor C. Lanhans was officiating clergyman.

Two hymns, "Just As I Am, Without One Plea," and "Rock of Ages Cleft For Me" were sung by the congregation. Mrs. Norman Harms was organist.

Flower attendants were Mrs. Elmer Fritzel and Mrs. Allen Spieker.

Pall bearers were Steve Groninga, Randy Groninga, Rick Groninga, Troy Groninga, Dave Lutterman and David Pike. Robert Gilliam and John Bohr were honorary pallbearers. The interment service was held in Shiloh Cemetery in Wellsburg.

Doyen Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

He was born in Kesley, IA, on August 15, 1896, the son of John and Flora (Olthoff) Groninga, and received his education in the rural school in the area. He attended a business college in Kansas City, MO for two years.

On February 17, 1920, he was married to Grace Mathilda Getting at Waterloo. Following their marriage they made their home in Parkersburg. They also lived in Stewartsville, MN for several years. In 1933 they moved to a farm northeast of Wellsburg. In 1951 they retired from the farm and moved to Wellsburg to make their home.

His wife passed away on July 28, 1955.

On January 31, 1956 he was married to Edith M. Becker and they made their home in Wellsburg.

He was a long-time member of the St. John's Lutheran Church of Wellsburg.

Luke was in the automobile business in Parkersburg from 1919 to 1930 and then farmed from 1931 to 1951. He was a Grundy county supervisor for several years and also was the Mayor of the Town of Wellsburg for many years.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife, one granddaughter, a daughter-in-law, Virginia Groninga; 5 brothers, Claude, Pete, John, Albert and Ted Groninga and one sister, Mrs. Grace Miller.

Those left to mourn his passing are: his wife, Edith; one daughter, Irma Lutterman and her husband Laurence of Wellsburg; two sons, Durwood Groninga and his wife, Barbara of Edmond, OK; Virgil Groninga and his wife, Gwen of Wellsburg; nine grandchildren; three step-grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; three step-great-grandchildren; five sisters, Mrs. Floyd (Kate) Miller of Dumont; Mrs. Dean (Christina) Baugher of Waterloo; Mrs. Ervin (Margaret) Schrage of Allison; Mrs. John (Frances) Woodcock of Waterloo; Mrs. Irvin (Esther) Kimball of Seiling, OK and many other relatives and friends.

--The Grundy Register/Wellsburg Herald (Grundy Center, Iowa), 24 October 1985, section 2, pg 1