Story, Grace Marie (Kiel) 1942 - 2023
STORY, KIEL, KNUTSON, BROOKINS, TUCHEK, MEISTER, GORDON, BUCHANAN
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/22/2024 at 16:07:20
Grace Marie (Kiel) Story was called to heaven on September, 14, 2023 at 3:08 p.m., at Accura Care Center, in Cresco, Iowa, while trying to recover from a broken hip as well as complications from her long battle with congestive heart disease.
Grace was born on February 15, 1942, in Decorah, Iowa, as the daughter of Lenart W. Kiel and Helen A. (Knutson) Kiel. Her early years were spent growing up on the Kiel family farm, located on the Middle Calmar Road between Calmar and Decorah. She attended elementary school and high school in Calmar and graduated from South Winneshiek High School as one of the earliest classes to graduate from the reorganized school district. She attended Luther College in Decorah for one year and then transferred to the University of Iowa in Iowa City with more freedom to pursue her goals in the business courses there. While attending Iowa, she met her husband, who was the love of her life, Robert (Bob) Story, a young law student. They were married on September 8, 1963 at Calmar Lutheran Church at Calmar, Iowa. After marrying Bob Story, she decided to take a break from school and get a job with an Iowa City Law firm as a legal secretary and help Bob finish law school and perhaps get her own degree later when he had finished. After that, and passing the bar, Bob took a job practicing law with a law firm in Anamosa. They lived in Anamosa for 10 years, and during that time, had two children, Brad H. Story, and Krista M. Story. Grace stayed home to be a homemaker and cared for their children.
In 1974, however, Bob decided to move his law practice to Cresco, Iowa, which would be closer to Grace’s childhood home, where she needed to be closer to her mother who had recently become widowed and needed to rely on Grace for her assistance. Bob affiliated in Cresco with attorneys C.J. Anderson and Frank Elwood and later began his own practice with Kevin Schoeberl, which made available work for Grace as Bob’s legal secretary and paralegal for at least 20 some years. Grace was also active in several charitable organizations, committees, and women’s groups at First Lutheran Church, and P.E.O. women’s club, as well being involved as a parent volunteer for her children’s school activities. She was also always available for grandchildren care whenever needed.
Grace loved her children and grandchildren as well as her husband and best friend, Bob. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary together on September 8. Grace also loved her church and all of her friends she acquired in Cresco. Her family was truly her greatest blessing and she was happiest when they were around.
She is survived by her husband, Bob Story, her son Brad H. Story (Kate Bunton), her daughter, Krista M. Story (Barry Brookins) and her grandchildren, Kayley A. Tuchek (Philippe Meister), Konner M. Tuchek, Mette H. Story, Karine K. Story, and Annika Gordon, and her brother Loren H. Kiel (Sue), her nephew Adam Kiel and niece, Anne Kiel Buchanan, as well as great nieces and cousins, and her beloved dog and constant companion, Lena.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Lenart W. Kiel, and Helen A. (Knutson) Kiel of Calmar, and by her grandson, Samuel Robert Tuchek, as well as many cousins.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held on September 22, 2023, at First Lutheran church in Cresco, Iowa with visitation at 10:00 a.m. before the service. The service will commence at 11:00 a.m., followed by a burial service at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Cresco, and lunch will be served immediately after at the church. Memorials in honor of Grace should be given to First Lutheran Church or the Howard County Hospice program which took such wonderful care of her in her last few months.
Source: Lindstrom Funeral Home database
Oak Lawn Cemetery
Howard Obituaries maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
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