Private graveside services for Josephine (Jo) Grienke, 86, of Alta, will be held at a later date. There will be no visitation. Inurnment will take place at Elk Township Cemetery, rural Alta. Redig Funeral Home in Aurelia is in charge of arrangements.
Josephine Hazel Husman was born July 1, 1938, the daughter of Henry and Hazel (Peterson) Husman at Meriden. She attended school in Meriden, graduating in 1956. On April 6, 1957, she was united in marriage to Robert Dale Grienke. Together they operated a grain and dairy farm. Jo also worked for many years in housekeeping at BV Manor and later, Northside Manor in Storm Lake. After work, Jo enjoyed coming home to the farm to care for her animals and tending to her flowers. She was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Alta. She was an avid college basketball fan, especially when the Hawkeyes were playing! Jo’s joy was her family and especially attending her grandchildren’s school and sporting events, missing very few over the years.
Jo died Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, at Happy Siesta Health Care Center in Remsen, where she had been a resident since Nov. 11, 2020.
Preceding Jo in death were her husband, Robert, on Oct. 8, 2020; her parents, Henry and Hazel Husman; parents-in-law, Paul and Millie Grienke; one brother, Clifford and wife Donna Husman; four sisters: Edna and husband LeRoy Peck, Deloris and husband Carl Benson, Martha and husband Robert Helland, Lois and husband Elmer Stykel; three brothers-in-law: Joe Lichter, Arvid Nelson and Orlyn Grienke; sister-in-law Lila and husband Wilbert “Willie” Schwanz.
Survivors include three children: Rebecca Grienke of Alta; Paula and her husband Terry Meyer of Alta; and Charlie and his wife Angela Grienke of Alta; three grandchildren: April and her husband Luke Warkentin of Linn Grove; Heidi and her husband Jim Braunschweig of Dakota Dunes; and Cody Grienke of Alta; and five great-grandchildren: Brittney and Katelyn Warkentin; Brady, Ellie and Daisy Braunschweig. Also surviving are two sisters: Lillian Nelson of Sibley; and Freida and husband Wayne Congdon of Fort Atkinson, Wis.; and one sister-in-law, Joann Lichter of Omaha, Neb.; nieces and nephews, other relatives and many friends.