Grovenburg, Dennis W. Jr. 1924-2001

GROVENBURG, CONGER, TAYLOR, CALHOUN, ARNOLD, PRITCHARD, TINKLE, LUST, LILLIE, VULYSTEKE, STRAND

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 3/11/2010 at 16:56:49

The Grinnell Herald-Register (Grinnell, Iowa) Aug. 16, 2001

DENNIS W. GROVENBURG JR.

Dennis W. Grovenburg Jr. 77, of Grinnell died Sunday, Aug. 12, at University Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City.

A memorial service was held Saturday at the Smith Funeral Home, with the Rev. Todd Follette, pastor of the Grinnell First Friends Church, officiating. Organist was Alice Renaud.

Honorary bearers were Bob Dale, Gary Durr, Lloyd Durr, Pat Gallagher, Paul Hamor, Chuck McAtee and Kyle Pedersen. Members of the Grinnell American Legion performed military rites. Burial was at Hazelwood Cemetery.

He was the son of Dennis W. and Ola Belle Conger Grovenburg Sr. and was born April 11, 1924, in Chester Township. He was raised in Grinnell and received his education in the Grinnell schools.

He served with the 101st Airborne during World War II and was awarded the French Croix de Guerre, a Distinguished Unit Badge and two Purple Hearts for wounds received in the D-Day Invasion and Battle of the Bulge.

He was married to Doris O. Taylor July 1, 1946, in Kansas City, Kan. They lived in Grinnell prior to moving to Des Moines in 1952. They returned to Grinnell in 1968.

Mr. Grovenburg was superintendent for John P. Abramson Construction for 25 years and later farmed for 10 years in Jasper County. He retired in 1982.

He was a member of Focht-Tennant Post No. 53, American Legion, VFW Post 1655 in Newton, Disabled American Veterans, and BPO Elks Lodge 1266 in Grinnell.

Surviving are his wife; five daughters, Judith Calhoun of Ann Arbor, Mich., Cathy Grovenburg of San Jose, Calif., Marilyn Arnold of Des Moines, Terri Pritchard of Solon and Nancy Tinkle of Grinnell; five grandchildren; three sisters, Thelma Lust of Newton, Shirley Lillie of Montezuma and Mildred Vulysteke of Grinnell; and one brother, Keith of Oakland Acres.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Ernest and Kenneth; one sister, Helen Strand; and one granddaughter.

A Dennis W. Grovenburg Jr. Memorial Fund has been established.