Gruis, Lydia (1919-2009)

GRUIS, LUBBEN, ACKKERMAN, HARNAK, MANNING, ROTH, BARR

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 1/4/2010 at 22:01:14

Lydia Gruis
(October 16, 1919 - December 13, 2009)

Buffalo Center, Iowa
Lydia Gruis, age 90, of Waukon, IA, died on Sunday at Good Samaritan Center in Waukon, IA.

Born Lydia Leone Lubben on Oct 16,1919, she was one of 10 children born to Lube and Sena (Ackkerman) Lubben of rural Buffalo Center. She grew up on the Lubben farm, Northeast of Buffalo Center, attending school through the 8th grade. Following school, she worked in the community cleaning houses and helping around the home farm. During WWII, Lydia traveled to Minneapolis, Minnesota for training and then moved to Omaha, Nebraska where she worked on B-17 and B-26 airplanes at the Glen L. Marten manufacturing plant. When the war ended, Lydia returned to Buffalo Center. She was married to Ben Gruis on June 26, 1945. She and Ben lived on the Gruis farm south of Buffalo Center for many years. While working on the farm as a homemaker, Lydia also worked at the Timely Mission Nursing Home in Buffalo Center as a nurses’ aide. In 1970, Lydia and Ben moved to an acreage three miles north of Buffalo Center and later to a home in Buffalo Center, Shortly after Ben Gruis died in 1994, Lydia moved to Waukon, IA to be near her daughter and grandchildren.

Lydia was a faithful member of First Baptist Church for over 70 years, having attended regularly until she moved to Waukon. She expressed faith in Jesus Christ as personal Savior in 1937, was baptized on July 25th. and joined the church on August 1.

Lydia died on Sunday morning at Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Waukon, IA.

Lydia is survived by one daughter, Sharon and her husband Russell of Waukon, IA; a son Larry and his wife Becky of Pana, IL.; five grandchildren: Peggy Harnak (Bill); Jill Manning (Scott); Michael Roth (Diane); Dawn Barr (Chris); and Shauna Gruis. She has 10 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Lydia was preceded in death by her husband Ben Gruis.

Funeral services were held at 11:00 AM Thursday at First Baptist Church in Buffalo Center with Pastor Duane Smith of Waukon, IA, officiating. Burial was in Olena Mound Cemetery in Buffalo Center, IA.

Visitation was Wednesday from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Winter Funeral Home in Buffalo Center and 1 hour before the service on Thursday at the church.

Copyright©2009 Winter Funeral Home and Cremation Service

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