Obituary of Leona M. Grothe

Leona M. Grothe, 91, of Iowa City died Monday, March 31, 2008, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, April 3, 2008, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Iowa City. Burial will be at the St. Joseph Cemetery in Iowa City. Visitation will be 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City where a Celebration of Leona's Life Vigil will be held at 6 p.m. In lieu of flowers memorial donations can be made in Leona's memory to Iowa City Hospice. Online condolences may be sent for her family through the web @ www.gayandciha.com. Leona M. Grothe was born September 8, 1916, on a farm in Johnson County, Iowa the daughter of Aloysius and Catharina (Holtermann) Wissink. She married Bernard Grothe on October 30, 1940. Bernard passed away September 16, 1992. She and Bernard farmed for several years and then moved to Iowa City. Leona worked for the University of Iowa at Currier Hall in the Salad Department for twenty-four years before retiring on December 31, 1981. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church. Leona loved fishing, travel, dancing and spending two evenings a week playing Euchre with all her dear friends. She was a great Iowa Hawkeye fan and especially their football and basketball teams. Her family includes one son, Thomas and his wife Dorothy of Bel Air, Maryland; one daughter Janet and her husband, Bob McLachlan of Coralville; five grandchildren, Tamra and her husband Darryl Selleck of Chino Hills, California, Jennifer and her husband Markus Gudmundsson of Hanford, California, Andrea and her husband Denis Chericone of Enterprise, Oregon, Carl Collins of Edgewood, Maryland, and Michelle McLachlan of Coralville; six great-grandchildren, Logan and Bryan Selleck, Tor And Dagmar Gudmundsson, Carmen Chericone and Allie Collins; two sisters, Marie Van Mechelen of Bradenton, Florida, Geraldine Ruess of West Liberty, Iowa; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her Parents, husband, three brothers, Joe, Lawrence and Leonard Wissink and one sister, Ann Mayer. Leona was a lady who always had a smile on her face and her laughter filled the room. She was a caring mother, loving grandmother and a loyal friend. The family would like to express our heart felt thanks to the Mercy Medical Center Staff and Iowa City Hospice for their care and comfort.