Ruth Marie

Grosshans

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IN LOVING MEMORY

Ruth Marie Grosshans

May 31 1921 - Mar 02 2020

Ruth Marie (Dhuse) Grosshans, 98, passed on to her heavenly home on March 2nd, 2020 at Medical City Plano after a short illness. She was born May 31, 1921 in Sugar Grove, IL, daughter of the late Herbert and Pauline (Ruoff) Dhuse. 

Ruth enjoyed sharing farm life with her family while growing up.  When she finished high school, she worked in offices at Thor Manufacturing and her home church, Emmanuel Lutheran in Aurora, Illinois.  In September of 1948, Ruth married Erwin Grosshans and made the move to Janesville, Wisconsin, where they started their family.  She loved raising their family and was at home with the children until after the youngest started school.  The family moved to Green Bay, WI in 1957 and joined Redeemer Lutheran Church.  Ruth counted offerings and was an active member of the LWML and Altar Guild for all of her years there.  Her first paying job in Green Bay was as a part-time sales clerk at a local bakery.  During that time, she also attended secretarial classes; her daughters remember sitting with her in the breezeway of the house as she practiced her shorthand.  In 1966, Ruth was hired at Krueger, Inc.  She worked for the next 18 years as secretary to the VP and President of the company, before retiring in 1984.  One of the joys of retirement was traveling to visit children, grandchildren and other family throughout the country, including Alaska. In 1985, Ruth and Erwin purchased a 24 foot mobile home in Bradenton, Florida. They spent the next 27 winters enjoying the sunny beaches, seeking shells and often playing bridge with friends on a nearby picnic table. Ruth participated in a variety of clubhouse activities including painting lessons and card playing several nights a week. She regularly assisted with cooking and preparing food for the park’s holiday group celebrations. She enjoyed the warmth and community in Florida and welcomed many family visitors into their winter home. In October of 1992, Ruth and Erwin purchased a duplex in Yorkville, Illinois with her sister, Margaret. They enjoyed winters in Florida and summers in Yorkville until the fall of 2012 when they moved to Parkview Retirement Community in Allen, Texas. This offered continued independent living with family near by.

With time and age, they required a little more assistance with daily living and in the fall of 2019, moved to Heritage House in Plano, Texas . During their years in Texas, they felt blessed to be well looked after by family in the Dallas area, and looked forward to and enjoyed visits from those further away. The last family gathering, in early February, found Ruth and Erwin surrounded by 21 family members. That was a special time for her and the entire family.

Ruth loved spending time with friends and family and developed lasting friendships wherever she lived.  She enjoyed playing Bridge and other card games, made Saturday morning küchen for most of her married years, picked cherries, apples, plums etc. alongside Erwin and then spearheaded the pitting, freezing and jam making operations. Currant jelly from 2011 is still being savored today and her apple and cherry pies were the best!  She crocheted many baby blankets over the years, did Braille translations with a slate and stylus in Green Bay, and volunteered with Erwin for many years at Lutheran Bible Translators in Aurora, Illinois and Hope Seeds in Bradenton, Florida.   Their faith was very important and Ruth and Erwin were active members of a church at all their varied homes.  Most recently, Sunday mornings found them faithfully and thankfully listening to the Lutheran Hour.  She was well loved and will be missed.

She is survived by her husband of 71 years, Erwin Grosshans; children,  Alan Grosshans and wife, Sharon of Pasadena, California, Neal Grosshans and wife, Helen of Arlington Heights, Illinois, Lee Grosshans and wife, Ann of Plano, Texas, Anne Grosshans of Anchorage, Alaska, Betty Hartman and husband, Bruce of McKinney, Texas, and Janet Willis and husband, Seth of  Cedar Park, Texas; grandchildren, Andrew, Bryan, Jon and wife, Holly, Mark and wife, Laura, Joanna Schmieding and husband, Jason, Katy Grosshans,  and Emily DeLaTorre and husband, Bryan.  Ruth had the joy of celebrating the birth of 5 great- grandchildren:  Jack, Henry, Colin, Bennett and Elisa, and was looking forward to a sixth one due in April.  She is survived by her sister Paula Holdiman, sister-in-law Beth Dhuse, nieces, nephews and other extended family. 

Ruth was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Bette Dhuse in infancy, Harriet Battenschlag and Margaret Schelling; brother, Ruoff Dhuse; and granddaughter, Julianne Grosshans.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 p.m, Saturday, March14, 2020 at Faith Lutheran Church, 1701 E Park Blvd., Plano, Texas.  An opportunity for fellowship will follow the service.  Interment (Lincoln Memorial Park, Aurora, Illinois) will take place at a later date.

The family invites memorials to be made to Faith Lutheran Church,1701 E Park Blvd., Plano, TX  75074, St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, 63 Fernwood Rd., Montgomery, IL 60538 or to the organization of your choice.

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Memorials

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