Donald W Gruis

GRUIS MARIE FARRIN

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 4/12/2010 at 15:15:03

Sioux City Journal
21 January 2003

Donald W. Gruis, 75, of Sioux City died Sunday, Jan. 19, 2003, in Sioux City following a lengthy illness.

Services will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Grace United Methodist Church, with the Rev. Jon Gaul officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 3:30 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., at Christy-Smith Morningside Chapel.

Mr. Gruis was born on a Sunday morning Aug. 14, 1927, on a farm in rural Ocheyedan, Iowa, the son of Walbertus Henry and Dortha Irene (Marie) Gruis. He lived around the Sibley, Iowa, and Ocheyedan area, where he attended country schools. He worked for Armour and Co. until October 1945. He entered the service on Oct. 25, 1945, at Fort Snelling, Minn. He attended Camp Robinson, Ark., for his basic training, then transferred to Vint Hill Farm Station in Warrenton, Va., where he learned Morse code. From there, he was transferred to Arlington Hall Station in Arlington, Va. There he worked for the Army Security Agency under the Pentagon Building. He was then transferred to Fort Meade, Md., and later discharged on Nov. 9, 1946. He later returned to Sioux City, where he joined the Army Reserve and served for 11 years, attaining the rank of master sergeant.

He married Marilyn Elaine Farrin on June 17, 1949, at Grace United Methodist Church in Sioux City. He was employed as a carpet layer and installed carpet for 46 years until reaching retirement in 1995. Mrs. Gruis passed away on July 20, 1986, in Sioux City.

He was a member of Grace United Methodist Church. He joined the Masons in 1972 and belonged to the Morningside Lodge until 1991. He enjoyed fishing at his cabin in Minnesota, hunting, bowling and he enjoyed his flowers.

Survivors include a daughter, Lynn R. Gruis of Beatrice, Neb.; a son and his wife, Ron and Sue Gruis of Sioux City; a daughter-in-law, Irene Gruis of Sioux City; a sister and her husband, Betty and Jerry Conover of Sioux City; a brother and his wife, Gary and Judy Gruis of Moville, Iowa; three grandchildren, Jaymie Gruis of Minneapolis, Eric Gruis of Washington D.C., and Markee Gruis of Sioux City; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Mark Gruis; a brother and two sisters.

Pallbearers will be Jeff and Jim Johnson, Tom, Chris and Charles Conover and Gary Gruis Jr.

Memorials may be directed to the family.