Garlan Dale Grote (1942-2020)

GROTE, RYAN, SHANNON

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 5/25/2021 at 21:21:29

Garlan “Gar” Dale Grote, 79, passed from this life into eternal life on December 25, 2020, at his home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Gar was born in Storm Lake, Iowa, to Roy and Marie Grote. He graduated from Albert City-Truesdale High School in 1959. He attended Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana, where he met and married the love of his life, Linda Gail Coan, in 1961. Gar graduated with an accounting degree in 1963, and he and Linda moved to Waverly, Iowa, where Gar worked for Lutheran Mutual Life (currently Cuna Mutual Group) for 24 years. Gar then worked for Thrivent Financial for 20+ years in Fort Wayne, Indiana and Mason City, Iowa. Gar and Linda resided in Garner, Iowa, for 19 years, and then moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 2020.

Gar will be remembered for his love of God, family, the Iowa Hawkeyes, and the Chicago Cubs. He was a quiet, humble man with a quick sense of humor and a strong faith that carried him through multiple health challenges. He lived his faith and served in the Lutheran church community at St. John Lutheran in Waverly, Iowa, Concordia Lutheran in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and St. Paul Lutheran in Garner, Iowa. He held Hawkeye football season tickets for many years and enjoyed attending and watching games with his family. His career in the insurance industry spanned 45 years in both management and sales where he served his customers with integrity and compassion. He was the anchor of his family and will be greatly missed.

He is survived by his wife, Linda; his children Christina (Mike) Ryan of Plymouth MN, Lisa (Shannon) Sandquist of Colorado Springs CO, Shelly (Dale) Janssen of Clarksville IA, and Corey (Jenni) Grote of Cedar Rapids IA; his grandchildren Kimberly (Nick) Stouffer, Kara Ryan, Andrew Ryan, Emily Marie (Mattias) Gassman, Erik (Kellyn) Sandquist, Naomi (James) Teutschmann, Natalie (Alex) Schaffer, Brady Janssen, Austin Janssen, Connor Grote, and Rylie Grote; five great grandchildren; and his brothers Galen (Sheila) Grote of Sac City IA, Jerry (Lois) Grote of St. Cloud MN, and Gary (Mona) Grote of Wausau WI. Gar was preceded in death by his parents Roy and Marie Grote.

A private celebration of life service will be held at the Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories on Saturday, January 16, 2021. The use of facemasks and/or shields and social distancing will be required. A livestream of the service can be viewed at https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/15008762 on Saturday, January 16, 2021 at 1:00 PM. Interment will be at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorials may be sent to the Lutheran World Relief Fund https://lwr.org/