Grote, Gerald Richard “Jerry” (1948 – 2004)

GROTE, DAEGES, SORENSEN, JENSEN, PALMER, MCELDERRY, VANCAMP, BRENNAN, TREVINO

Posted By: Denise Wurner (email)
Date: 8/5/2013 at 15:44:29

Name of deceased: Gerald (“Jerry”) Richard Grote

Aged: 56 yrs, 5 mo, 4 days

Residence: Harlan, IA

Born: April 1, 1948, Council Bluffs, IA

Died: Sept. 5, 2004, Harlan, IA

Funeral services: Mass of Christian Burial: Friday, Sept. 10, 2004, St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Harlan, IA; Father Robert Hoefler celebrating. Military rites conducted by Shelby County VFW Post #941 and Helmer Reyelt AL Post #150. Burial was in the Harlan Cemetery, Harlan, IA.

Survived by: Wife of 34 years, Janis Grote of Harlan, IA; sons, Jamie (spouse, Mary) Grote of Willmar, MN, and Randy (spouse, Bonnie) Grote of Harlan, IA; mother, Loretta May (nee Daeges) Grote of Harlan, IA; sisters, Jeannie (spouse, Daryl) Jensen of Shelby, IA, Nancy (spouse, Randy) Palmer and Connie McElderry, both of Council Bluffs, IA, and Mary (spouse, Bud) VanCamp of Harlan, IA; brothers, Mark (spouse, Cheryl) Grote of Harlan, IA, and Ronald (spouse, Kim) Grote of Washington, IA; sister-in-law, Sandra Brennan of Harlan, IA; grandchildren, Joshua Grote, Kate Grote, Anna Grote, and Sophia Grote; step-grandchildren, Brandon Trevino and Brian Trevino; nieces; nephews; other relatives and friends

Predeceased by: Father, Frederick Richard Grote; niece, Stephanie Grote

Education: attended Catholic school for grades 1 through 6, and then went to country school for one year; he returned to Catholic school, and graduated from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Portsmouth, IA, Class of 1966.

Military service: U. S. Army, 1968 – 1969; served one tour of duty in Vietnam. Re-enlisted, 1975, serving two tours in Korea, and having been stationed at Ft. Riley, KS, Ft. Sill, OK, Germany, and Ft. Ord, CA. He retired at Ft. Sill, OK., after serving 20 years.

Marriage: Janis Kay Sorensen, Aug. 22, 1970, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, Portsmouth, IA

Employment: After graduating from high school, he worked in Harlan, IA., at the pork plant from 1967 to 1968, when he entered the military. He returned to the plant after his military discharge. In 1975, he re-enlisted in the U.S. Army, and spent the next 20 years serving his country. After his retirement in OK, he worked for the Army Air Force Exchange Service. Jerry and Janis moved back to Harlan, IA., at the beginning of 1994, and Jerry went to work at Elm Crest Retirement Community in the maintenance department and as a cook. He left there in 1997 to work at Molded Products in Harlan, IA, until he was laid off in 2001. Jerry then went to work for Perkins in Omaha, NE, until 2003 when he began working for REM Leadway in Shelby, IA. Jerry was diagnosed with bone cancer early in 2004, at which time he was no longer able to work.

Hobbies/Interests: Member, St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Harlan, IA; member, Saddle Club in Shelby, IA; member, American Legion

Source: burmeisterjohannsen.com