RICHARD C. GRIENKE
Funeral services for Richard C.
Grienke, 78, of Cherokee, formerly of Aurelia, will be Saturday,
December 31, 2011, at 10:30 A.M. at Immaculate Conception Catholic
Church in Cherokee, with MSGR Kenneth Seifried officiating. Burial will
be in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, rural Aurelia, with Military Honors by
the Cherokee VFW. Visitation will be Friday from 2:00 P.M. until 8:00
P.M., with the family present from 6:00 to 8:00, at the Redig Funeral
Home in Aurelia. A memorial fund has been established.
Richard Carl Grienke was born
December 13, 1933, near Aurelia, Iowa, the son of Carl H. and Luella H.
(Degen) Grienke. He graduated from the Aurelia High School in 1952.
Richard then joined the National Guard, serving for seven years. While
in the Guard he began working for Lundell Mfg. as a truck driver and
later as a salesman. In 1956 he worked for Kibraz Seed and Excavating
during the summers and worked up to Superintendent. In the winter he
trucked for Sterling Steel, driving a million miles hauling machinery
and steel. He also helped his father farm during planting and
harvesting. On June 20, 1964 Richard married Constance J. Bortscheller
in Oyens, IA. After Richard’s father died in 1964 he began farming full
time and did custom grinding, shelling, and harvesting. After a trucking
accident in 1986, Richard changed to hobby farming, just raising
livestock. Richard was a member of the Cherokee Ridge Runners, Little
Sioux Wild Life Association, Pioneer Machinery Club, Tri State Machinery
Club, Corp of Discovery St. Floyd Honor Guard, and former Director of
Iowa Wild Life Federation, Iowa Black Powder Federation, American Rope
Makers Guild, and Friends of Conservation. Richard presented many
programs for school children on the fur trade era and history of Lewis &
Clark.
Richard died Wednesday, December
28, 2011, at the Cherokee Villa Nursing and Rehab Center in Cherokee,
IA.
Preceding Richard in death were his
parents and brother-in-law Dale Bugh.
Survivors include his wife Connie
of Cherokee, one daughter, Judy and her husband C.W. Miller of Cherokee,
one sister, Claudeen Bugh of Quimby, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law;
Jim and wife Kathy Bortscheller of Pinellas Park, FL, Larry and wife
Janice Bortscheller of Spirit Lake, Fred and wife Colleen Bortscheller
of LeMars, Mary Kay and husband Fred Roling of Remsen, Patty
Bortscheller of Sioux City, Jean and husband Murphy Copeland of Waverly,
TN, Rosie and husband Dan Kunkel of Remsen, and Karen and Bruce Wigg of
LaPorte City, nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends.
