Obituary of John Grenawalt

Jack Grenawalt passed away peacefully at the Bridge Assisted Living Facility of Farmington, New Mexico, on Friday, December 12, 2008. He was 91. Born in Lamoni, Iowa, and raised in Storm Lake, Iowa, Jack moved to Limon in 1936 to assist his mother Kathryn and father Luther in managing their fledgling Gambles Store. Luther died approximately a year later, and Jack took responsibility for the enterprise. For nearly 50 years, Jack owned and operated the Gambles Authorized Dealer business in Limon. He was assisted by one primary and very capable employee during most of this time - Mr. Cleo Steele. Starting with essentially nothing, Jack developed the Gambles Store into one of the premiere local businesses of the era. Jack was active in community affairs, including the Rotary Club and the Limon Housing Authority. He was also a founding member of the Limon Coffee Club an “institutionâ€? that lives on to this day. Jack married Norma Christine Hobson in June 1941. Norma was a teacher in the Limon Public Schools for many years. Jack and Norma celebrated both their 50th and 60th Wedding Anniversaries in Limon, and were able to travel extensively after Jack’s retirement. Norma passed away in May 2004. Jack served in the United States Army during World War II. He was stationed in India and assisted in the Allies’ efforts in flying supplies and support “over the humpâ€? into China. Jack was honorably discharged as a First Lieutenant in 1946. Jack and Norma raised a family of five children, and successfully guided them through college degrees. Jack and Norma were dedicated parents who provided a loving, caring, and stable environment for their children. Jack provided a consistent role model for a strong work ethic, which he imparted to his children. An avid collector, Jack assembled large assortments of stamps, coins, guns, and various other items throughout his lifetime. He took great pride in displaying and arranging his collections. Due to health considerations, Jack moved from Limon to Farmington in January 2007 and was a resident at Bee Hive Homes and at the Bridge Assisted Living Facility. Jack was sadly preceded in death by two sons - John Jerol and Jeffrey Lee. He is survived by a daughter Jill (Ernie) Richling-Thesman of Los Angeles, California; two sons Jay (Valerie) Grenawalt of Centennial, Colorado, and Joe (Janet) Grenawalt of Farmington; and a daughter-in-law Judy Grenawalt of St. John, Indiana. He is also survived by eight grandchildren. A memorial service for John “Jackâ€? Grenawalt will be held 10:00am Saturday March 7, 2009 at the Love Funeral Home Chapel. Memorial may be left to The Salvation Army National Headquarters 615 Slaters Lane / P.O. Box 269 Alexandria, VA 22313.