Leonard R. Grunig

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WINDOM - Leonard R. Grunig was born on Nov. 4, 1921, at home, north of the Jeffers Petroglyphs in Cottonwood County, Minn. to the late Ralph and Anna (Helken) Grunig.

Visitation will be held from 4-8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28 at the LaCanne Family Funeral Home in Windom and one hour prior to services at the church in Windom on Tuesday.

Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 29 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Windom. Burial to follow at St. Mary's Cemetery in Sleepy Eye.

He was baptized in 1945 at St Paul's Catholic Church of Comfrey before his marriage to Gertrude. Leonard grew up in the Comfrey area and received his education in Comfrey Public School.

Leonard grew up helping on the family farm. As a young man he farmed on his own for a few years, then on June 12, 1945, Leonard was united in marriage to Gertrude Katherine Goblirsch at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Sleepy Eye.

This marriage was blessed with eight children, Clara, Diane, Arthur, Gerald, Karen, Alyce, Dale and Jane. Leonard and Gertrude farmed near Comfrey, Lamberton, and Mountain Lake.

In 1972 they purchased a farm north of Heron Lake where they farmed until moving to Windom in 2006. Leonard also worked for Elness Stockyards in Lakefield for 17 years until retiring in the fall of 2004.

In November of 2007, Leonard became a resident of the Good Samaritan Society-Sogge Memorial in Windom where he continued to live until passing away on Tuesday afternoon, Sept. 22, 2009, at the wonderful age of 87.

Leonard was a longtime, dedicated, faithful member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Heron Lake. Leonard will be remembered for being a man who loved to talk "farming", enjoyed socializing, eating popcorn and loved his family. His children and grandchildren will always remember him for the funny little songs he sang. Having his family together was one of Leonard's greatest enjoyments.

Leonard is survived by his wife of sixty-four years, Gertrude Grunig of Windom; eight children, Clara Burnham of Fort Collins, CO; Diane (Richard) Kunz of Colorado Springs, CO; Arthur Grunig of Windsor, CA; Gerald (Rose) Grunig of Glendale, AZ, Karen (Pete) Baalson of New London, MN; Alyce (Paul) Mahoney of Cottage Grove, Minn., Dale Grunig of Windom; and Jane (Brian) Sterenberg of Boone, Iowa; 24 Grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren; one sister, Gladius Grunig of Windom; one brother, Roger (Dorothy) Grunig of Comfrey, and many nieces and nephews.

Leonard is preceded in death by his parents; one granddaughter, Natalie Kunz; two brothers, Eugene and Lawrence Grunig. Memorials are preferred.

LaCanne Funeral Home is handling the arrangements www.lacannefuneralhome.com.