Friday, September 14, 2018 2:24 pm
Geraldine “Jerry” Gross Grant, 98, of Mt. Ayr, died Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018, at Clearview Nursing Home in Mt. Ayr. Funeral Mass is at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Decorah, with Rev. Donald Hertges officiating. Organist is Mary Beth Bouska. Soloist is Cindy Schissel. Hymns are “Here I Am Lord,” “Amazing Grace,” “On Eagles Wings” and “Be Not Afraid.” Lectors are Ryan Mohr and Amanda Mohr. Offertory gift bearers are step-daughters, Michelle Kuhn and Valerie Boice. Mass servers are Rendon Mohr and Aubrie Mohr. Arrangements are being handled by Schluter – Balik Funeral Home, Decorah.
Geraldine “Jerry” (Hebel) Gross Grant, was born April 25, 1920, daughter of Ferdinand and Helen (Yezek) Hebel, on the family farm near Kensett. She attended school through the eighth grade. Working on the farm with her father was an important part of her early life. After finishing school, her sister Gladys Woldum encouraged Jerry to move to Waterloo to attend Pitze’s beauty school. She graduated there in 1940 and then joined her sister Gertrude Jennish and worked as a beautician in Decorah.
Jerry worked as a hair stylist with her sister until she opened her own shop in her home in 1954. She continued as a beautician for 50 years until retiring in 1990. She had a strong work ethic, and was loved and respected by her clients. She became lifelong friends with many of them.
She met Merton Gross and they were married from 1944 to 1971 when he passed. In 1976, she married Roger “Snooks” Grant and was married until he passed in 1981.
Soon after retiring, she moved to Manly to be near siblings and actually lived next door to sister Delores Mathahs. Due to health issues she later moved to Creston to be near daughter Sharon and family.
Jerry had a strong faith and believed in doing whatever she could for her church community and family. She made time for her hobbies of baking (famous for her kolaches, cinnamon rolls, lefse), embroidering (unknown the number of tea towels), crocheting scrubbies, and a little golfing.
Jerry is survived by her sister, Elaine Barsness, and her children, of Iowa Falls; her children: Dale (Joyce) Gross, Atlantic; Thomas (Romy) Gross, Phoenix, Ariz. and Sharon (David) Moffitt, Creston; grandchildren: Scott (Toni) Gross, Tracey Molthan, Jason Gross, Carey Brunko, Braden (Tianna) Gross, Erin Gross, Daniel Gross, Kristine Combs, Amanda (Ryan) Mohr, Elizabeth (Dallas) Pryor and Davida (Jamie) Suiter; step-children: Greg (Marie) Grant, Valerie Boice, Kim Grant and Michelle (Carl) Kuhn; step-grandchildren: Brooke (Jeff) Estum, Breelyn (Chase) Riehle, Tracy (Bruce) Frieden, Kelly (Dan) Timp, Casey (Kolby) Rath, Cody Grant , Michael Kuhn and Jacob Kuhn.
Jerry was preceded in death by her parents, Ferdinand and Helen (Yezek) Hebel; husbands, Merton Gross and Roger Grant; brothers, Clement Hebel and Francis Hebel; sisters: Genevieve Johnson, Gladys Woldum, Gertrude Jennish, Isabelle Scurlock, Rosalie Cornelius and Dolores Mathahs.
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