Garland George 'Gar' Grunig

Garland George Grunig, known as Gar, son of Jacob & Ethel (Geuther) Grunig, was born on May 19, 1919 in Cherokee, Iowa. His family farmed in the Comfrey & Darfur area when he was a small child. He attended school until 8th grade in Butterfield, MN. On March 1941 he enlisted in the Army & served with the 1258th Combat Engineering Battalion, Third Army under General George S. Patton in the European Campaign. He was awarded the Silver Star for his heroic actions while on patrol saving one of his men while being pinned down by the Nazi's. He was discharged on October 25, 1945. After his discharge he returned home where he was employed by Ziebarth Motors in St. James, MN. On February 3, 1946 he married Merlys Mae Wolle at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in St. James, MN. Gar & Merlys farmed in the Huntley area for a year & then in Truman, MN. In 1956 the family moved to Madelia, MN where Gar was employed as parts manager for John Deere Implement, parts manager for Soreide Peterson Motors & then Anderson Chevrolet of St. James. Gar decided to become self-employed as a painter & carpenter. In his retirement years he was employed at the Lutheran Memorial Home. Gar was a member of VFW & the American Legion. Throughout his life he was Captain in the Civil Air Patrol for many years, a Boy Scout Leader, & President of the PTA. He was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church for 58 years where he served on church council, treasurer of the church council, & on the cemetery board. Gar was the caretaker of the cemetery for 35 plus years. He enjoyed hobbies such as competing in horseshoes with the Madelia Horseshoe Club. He loved fishing, woodworking projects, & helping local farmers with field work in the spring & fall. His family includes children, Gayle Tangen & husband Darrell of Savage, MN, Gary Grunig of Madelia, MN, Marlene Grunig of Thief River Falls, MN & daughter-in-law, Valerie Grunig of Madelia, MN. Grandchildren include, Laurie Hoscheid Rengel, Jeffrey Hoscheid & his wife Michelle, Gregory Grunig & his wife Becky, Jennifer Grunig, Jason Anderson & wife Kimberly, Kristen Grunig & Ryan Grunig. He has fourteen great-grandchildren, Katharine & John Garland Rengel, Madison Novy-Hoscheid, Dylan & Derek Hoscheid, Brandon Grunig, Ty & Sadie Nelson & Jacob Roberts, Carter & Drew Anderson, Brielle Misson & Derek Gappa, Tyler Cromwell, and Ryleigh Grunig. His family also includes a brother, Bill Grunig & wife Eulalie Ann, six nephews & five nieces. Gar is preceded in death by his wife Merlys, his son Bryan, a grandson Jacob Grunig, his parents Jacob & Ethel Grunig, in-laws Robert & Ella (Rono) Wolle, sisters & brothers-in-law, LaDonna & Ronald Jenkins, Lois & Milford Hoppe, nephew Tim Hoppe, niece Suzanne Hoppe and grandson-in-law, Craig Roberts. Visitation 1 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm Friday, August 28, 2015 Sturm Funeral Home, Pilgrim Chapel 303 E. Main St. Madelia, Minnesota, United States 56062 Visitation 2 9:00 am - 10:00 am Saturday, August 29, 2015 Trinity Lutheran Church-Madelia 406 W. Main St. Madelia, Minnesota, United States 56062 Service Information 10:00 am Saturday, August 29, 2015 Trinity Lutheran Church-Madelia 406 W. Main St. Madelia, Minnesota, United States 56062 Interment Information Trinity Lutheran Cemetery, Madelia West, Co. Hwy 3 Madelia, Minnesota, United States 56062 Reception A luncheon and time of fellowship will take place at the church social hall immediately following interment. Military Honors Military honors by the Madelia Area Veterans Honor Guard.