Mary Ellen Gronewold

George, Iowa Mary Ellen Gronewold age 71 of George, IA died Friday, February 8, 2008, at the Good Samaritan Center at George. Funeral Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday Feb. 11th at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in George with Rev. Paul Fischer officiating. Burial will follow at the Evergreen Lawn Cemetery in George. Visitation will be Sunday, Feb. 10th, from 2-6 p.m. with the family present from 4-6 p.m. at the Jurrens Funeral Home of George, IA. Mary Ellen Gronewold was born July 26, 1936 in Lyon County, IA, the daughter of Ella Van Hauen and Ulfert De Groot. She attended country school near Rock Rapids and graduated from Little Rock High School in 1954. Mary Ellen continued her schooling earning a nursing degree at New Ulm, MN. She met her future husband while working as a nurse in the Sibley Hospital. He had been in an auto accident and was taken to the hospital for treatment. It was often said with a smile, that she helped treat his wounds, and nursed him back to health, and then, she married him. Mary Ellen De Groot and Richard Barney Gronewold were united in marriage at the First Presbyterian Church on September 23, 1958. Mary Ellen and Barney made their lives on a farm near George IA. They were members and attended regularly at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in George. She no longer worked at the Sibley Hospital following their marriage, but rather, she worked along side her husband on their farm until his death in 1994. Mary Ellen then moved to George. She worked for a time at the school and also at the Pizza Ranch. Mary Ellen always enjoyed visiting with friends and was an avid reader. She loved to collect and read cook books and had an impressive collection of bells. She learned to drive after Barney died and was always eager to go somewhere to shop. Mary Ellen moved to the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in 2005 and was very active at the Center. She was always willing to go when the group would make a trip to the Spencer Fair or to Lake Pahoja for an afternoon of fishing. She also loved to attend Bible study and Ladies Circle at the home. This past Friday, February 8th, Mary Ellen died at the age of 71. Mary Ellen is survived by her brother-in-law, John Gronewold of George, IA; sister-in-law, Jennie Grave of George, IA; sister-in-law, Mabel (Ervin) Drenth of Adrian, MN; aunt, Bernice Eichmann of Owatonna, MN; and many nieces and nephews and other relatives. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 36 years, Barney Gronewold; brother, Clifford De Groot; and sister-in-law, Ethel De Groot