Josephine Gruhn

A funeral service for Josephine Gruhn, age 87, of Spirit Lake, Iowa, will be held Friday, April 10, 2015 at 10:30am at Calvary United Methodist Church in Arnolds Park, Iowa. Burial will be at Okoboji Cemetery. Friends may call after 4:30pm with the family present from 4:30-7:00pm on Thursday, April 9th at Turner Jenness Funeral Home in Spirit Lake. Kathleen Josephine (Sanford) Gruhn was born on April 14, 1927 to James Ward and Kathleen (Hanna) Sanford in Britt, Iowa. She attended schools in Eagle Grove, Milford, Arnolds Park, and Webb in Iowa, and in Texas and New Jersey, graduating from Ruthven High School in 1945. Josephine received her Bachelor's Degree in Education from Morningside College, Sioux City, Iowa in 1951. On June 16, 1952, Josephine was united in marriage to Donald Paul Gruhn, at Calvary United Methodist Church in Arnolds Park, Iowa. To this union three children were born: Sanford Paul, Sarah Josephine, and Steven Spencer. Josephine was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She was an educator in the Spirit Lake School system for over 25 years. After the death of her husband in 1980, she was elected to the Iowa State Legislature as a State Representative, serving Dickinson and Emmet Counties in the Iowa House from 1982-1992. Upon her retirement from politics she assisted her son, Steve, in their floral and nursery business, Courtyard Gardens. Josephine was an active member of the Calvary United Methodist Church in Arnolds Park since 1940. She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary, United Methodist Women, Retired Educators Association, board member of CAASA, Art Center volunteer, Pink Lady of Lakes Regional Hospital, earning 8000+ service hours, a past member of Delta Kappa Gamma, plus numerous other volunteer and friendship organizations. She also served for many years as a Spirit Lake Township Trustee. Josephine lived on the Sandbar Beach farm for over 62 years, moving there from her family home in Maywood on Lake Okoboji in 1952. Family, children and grandchildren were always important to her. Josephine enjoyed her farm home, yard work and nature. Above all, she cherished the beautiful lakes region she had known and loved all her life. Josephine passed away Saturday, April 4, 2015 at Lakes Regional Healthcare. Left to cherish her memory are her children, Sanford Gruhn and wife, Joyce, of Humboldt, Iowa; Sarah Friesen and husband, Jerald, of Mountain Lake, Minnesota; and son, Steven Gruhn of Spirit Lake; grandchildren, Dan (Catherine) Gruhn, of Kasson, Minnesota; Joe (Mary) Gruhn of Maple Grove, Minnesota; Amy Friesen of Hopkins, Minnesota; many nieces, nephews and cousins and a great grandson due in July. Josephine was preceded in death by her husband, Don, in 1980, her parents, a granddaughter, Christine Joy Gruhn and three brothers and their wives, Ward Mason (Madeline), Robert Marne (Bobbye) and James Boyd (Lee) Sanford.