Alice I. Gruben

Alice I. Gruben, 88, of 107 Grover Street, Rock Falls, died Friday (December 26 2003) at the Concord Care Center, Garner. Funeral services will be held 1:30 PM Tuesday at the Rock Falls United Methodist Church with Rev. Jim Turner officiating. Interment will be in Rock Falls Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 8:00 PM Monday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, and continue at the church one hour before services. Memorials may be given to the Alice I. Gruben Memorial Fund. Alice was born December 10, 1915 in Dexter, Minnesota the daughter of Earl and Lillian (Velau) Kahler. The family moved to a farm near Britt, Iowa when Alice was young and she attended school in Klemme. She married Raymond J. Gruben July 15, 1934 in Mason City. They moved to a farm near Portland following the death of Alice?s father-in-law. In 1954 they purchased a farm on the Plymouth blacktop and lived there until Ray?s death in September of 1980. Following Ray?s death, Alice moved to Rock Falls. She was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Mason City prior to moving to Rock Falls. After moving to Rock Falls, Alice was a member of the Rock Falls United Methodist Church, Rock Falls Senior Citizen Center, L.U.G.A. Club, UMN, church circle. Alice enjoyed the many trips with her ?special friends? to Switzerland, Alaska and other bus trips. She enjoyed playing cards, gardening and flowers. She loved little kids and was Grandma Gruben to many little ones in the area. After retiring and moving from the farm, Alice and her good neighbor and friend, Luella Kaldenberg, would go snowmobiling in the winter on their farm and around the area. . Alice is survived by 2 daughters, Shirley Muth and husband Ralph of Garner, Sharon White and husband James of Kauua, Hawaii; Grandchildren, Cindy Stanley and husband Terry of Rock Falls, Brenda Ortiz and husband Rick of Tracy, CA, Bill White of Tracy, CA; Great grandchildren, Jamie Jensen and husband Mike of Waterloo, Josh Stanley and fiancé Missy Riles of Rock Falls, Reina, Benecia and Juaquin Ortiz of Tracy, CA; Great-great grandchildren, Zachary Schmidt of Waterloo, Dylan, Reawna, and Isabel Jensen of Waterloo, Shaylynn and Terrhyn Stanley-Kral of Iowa City, Gaven Stanley of Rock Falls; Sisters, Gladys Jackson of Lakeville, MN, Loretta Armstrong and husband DeLos of Clear Lake, many nieces and nephews. Alice was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Ray in September of 1980; sister, Amelia Smidt; brother-in-laws, Louie Smidt, William Jackson, and Fred Jahnke Alice I. Gruben, 88, of 107 Grover Street, Rock Falls, died Friday (December 26 2003) at the Concord Care Center, Garner. Funeral services will be held 1:30 PM Tuesday at the Rock Falls United Methodist Church with Rev. Jim Turner officiating. Interment will be in Rock Falls Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5:00 to 8:00 PM Monday at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, and continue at the church one hour before services. Memorials may be given to the Alice I. Gruben Memorial Fund. Alice was born December 10, 1915 in Dexter, Minnesota the daughter of Earl and Lillian (Velau) Kahler. The family moved to a farm near Britt, Iowa when Alice was young and she attended school in Klemme. She married Raymond J. Gruben July 15, 1934 in Mason City. They moved to a farm near Portland following the death of Alice?s father-in-law. In 1954 they purchased a farm on the Plymouth blacktop and lived there until Ray?s death in September of 1980. Following Ray?s death, Alice moved to Rock Falls. She was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Mason City prior to moving to Rock Falls. After moving to Rock Falls, Alice was a member of the Rock Falls United Methodist Church, Rock Falls Senior Citizen Center, L.U.G.A. Club, UMN, church circle. Alice enjoyed the many trips with her ?special friends? to Switzerland, Alaska and other bus trips. She enjoyed playing cards, gardening and flowers. She loved little kids and was Grandma Gruben to many little ones in the area. After retiring and moving from the farm, Alice and her good neighbor and friend, Luella Kaldenberg, would go snowmobiling in the winter on their farm and around the area. . Alice is survived by 2 daughters, Shirley Muth and husband Ralph of Garner, Sharon White and husband James of Kauua, Hawaii; Grandchildren, Cindy Stanley and husband Terry of Rock Falls, Brenda Ortiz and husband Rick of Tracy, CA, Bill White of Tracy, CA; Great grandchildren, Jamie Jensen and husband Mike of Waterloo, Josh Stanley and fiancé Missy Riles of Rock Falls, Reina, Benecia and Juaquin Ortiz of Tracy, CA; Great-great grandchildren, Zachary Schmidt of Waterloo, Dylan, Reawna, and Isabel Jensen of Waterloo, Shaylynn and Terrhyn Stanley-Kral of Iowa City, Gaven Stanley of Rock Falls; Sisters, Gladys Jackson of Lakeville, MN, Loretta Armstrong and husband DeLos of Clear Lake, many nieces and nephews. Alice was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Ray in September of 1980; sister, Amelia Smidt; brother-in-laws, Louie Smidt, William Jackson, and Fred Jahnke

Visitation:
5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Major Erickson Funeral Home on December 29, 2004 (map/driving directions) 4:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Major Erickson Funeral Home on December 30, 2004 (map/driving directions)

Service:
1:30 PM at Rock Falls Old Stone United Methodist Church on December 30, 2004 (map/driving directions)