Richard Lee Grenko 1933-2002

GRENKO, TOMETICH, STAHLE

Posted By: Lori Clark (email)
Date: 11/26/2002 at 09:12:15

Gay & Ciha Funeral & Cremation Service– Iowa City – (319) 338-1132
2720 Muscatine Avenue, Iowa City, Iowa 52240

Iowa City Press-Citizen –Picture-paid
Cedar Rapids Gazette-Picture-Paid
Centerville –Iowegian-Picture-Paid

Iowa City Dateline

Richard L. Grenko (Dick) died on Saturday, November 23, 2002 watching the sunset and surrounded by his family at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City following an illness with cancer. A Funeral Mass will be on Wednesday, November 27, 2002 at 10:00 am at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Iowa City, burial with military rites by the Coralville American Legion with assistance from other local organizations will be at St. Josephs Catholic Cemetery. Visitation will be on Tuesday, from 3 to 8 pm with a vigil service at 7:30 pm at the Gay and Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. Memorial donations may be given in Dick’s name to St. Mary’s Church or Roy L. Chopek American Legion Post #17 in Iowa City.

Richard born on December 15, 1933 in Centerville, Iowa the son of Leo and Lillian Tometich Grenko. He attended Centerville schools and graduated in 1952. Following graduation, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1952. He served four years in Korea and Japan and was reassigned to the sub tender USS Nerius in San Diego. They sailed to Alaska, Honolulu and ports along the West Coast of the United States. After his discharge in 1956, he returned to Centerville and then attended Allied Institute of Technology in Chicago where he graduated in 1958. He accepted a position at Oral-B Gillette in Iowa City were he worked for 38 years before retiring in 1996. He started as a Tool and Die marker, moved to time study and finished as Technical Supervisor in the Packaging Department. At an Oral-B Christmas party, he met Joan Stahle and as only Dick can say it, “our dates didn’t like to dance, so we danced the night away. My single life ended on August 12, 1961 when we married and I’ve been dancing to her tune ever since”. Dick loved dancing, fishing, hunting, bowling and golf. For a number of years he was part of a group that owned Fairview Golf Course in Iowa City. He was known for his ability to fix anything and his creative ability to make anything work and to teach others how to do the same.

He was a member of the Roy L. Chopek American Legion Post #17 of Iowa City, where he served in many capacities including Post Commander, The Loyal Order of the Moose #1096 and St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Each weekday he would meet with friends for the 3:00 pm “Board Meeting” at the Legion and on Sunday mornings he enjoyed Euchre with his friends at his cabin along the Iowa River. Dick was proud to have served his county and loved his family and friends. He loved to travel and with Joan visited many different corners of the world including England, Europe, Australia, Alaska and Hawaii. He was a loving Husband, father and grandfather. He was proud of his family’s accomplishments. Dick respected others and expected the same from them, he will be greatly missed by his family and all that new him.

His family includes his wife: Joan, son: Mark and wife Lisa of Iowa City, daughter: Sheila and husband Rich Burr of Lone Tree, six grandchildren: Ryan, Tyler, Kye, Courtney, Kaylin and Karli, two step-grandchildren: Neal and Samantha, special friend Jan Grenko-Lehman, his father: Leo of Centerville, his sister Margaret Comon of Anthem, Arizona, two sister in-laws: Jean and husband Keith Coffman of South English and Marie and husband Larry Sears of Anaheim, California and brother in-law Larry Owen of Blue Springs, Missouri, along with numerous nieces and nephews and cousins.

His mother Lillian, his sister Helen Owen and grandson Richard Burr Jr. preceded him in death. The Gay and Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service are caring for Dick’s services and his family.