Edmund Gronke

GRENVILLE- Edmund Gronke, 78 of Grenville died on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at the Veteran’s Administration Hospital in Sioux Falls. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00 A.M. Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Grenville, burial of his ashes will be at Lakewood Cemetery, Waubay. There will be a Scriptural Prayer/Rosary Service at 7:00 P.M. Tuesday at the church. Fiksdal Funeral Service of Webster is in charge of the arrangements. Edmund Raymond Gronke was born on Friday, December 20, 1929 to Bernard and Martha (Ewalt) Gronke on the family farm in Kosciusko Township, Day County, South Dakota near Waubay. He was one of eight children. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Grenville. He was raised on the family farm except the time the family lived in Chicago where he attended parochial school. In August 1948 he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served on the U.S.S. Coral Sea. He was honorably discharged in May 1950 and returned to take care of his brothers and sisters and help run the family farm due to his father’s illness. He later moved to Chicago, Illinois where he married Margaret Monroe in 1951. The couple had three children, Keith, Roxanne and Dale. He worked as a machinist until 1979 when he retired and moved to Grenville, South Dakota at the age of 48. While in Grenville he cared for his mother until her death in 1991. Some of his passions were gardening and raising animals. He also enjoyed visiting his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Near the end of his life he realized the importance of family relationships and spent many meaningful hours with his children and he was also very close to his brother-in-law, Richard Glad. Edmund passed away on Wednesday, July 2, 2008 at Sioux Falls, South Dakota at the age of 78 years, 7 months and 13 days. Survivors include his children; Keith (Cindy) Gronke of West Chicago, IL, Roxanne (Charles) Ingrassia of Hanover Park, IL and Dale (Valerie) Gronke of Deltona, FL; two brothers, Bernard Gronke of Michigan and Bill (Mary) Gronke of Lake Geneva, WI; one sister, Eveline (Alvin) Axness of Waubay, SD; six grandchildren, Renee, Gary, Brad, Keith, Crystal and Nikko; and four great grandchildren, Joseph, Caden, Dillon and Timothy. He was preceded in death by his parents, step father, Elmer Zubke, one brother, Arnold and three sisters, Lillian, Harriet and Marcella.