Anderson Funeral Home

serving families for over 60 years
312 South Stone St.
Augusta, WI 54722
715-286-2222

Elanor Grunewald
Surrounded by the love of her family, Eleanor E. Grunewald, 92, of Fall Creek, passed away very peacefully, at Dove Healthcare-West in Eau Claire, into her heavenly kingdom on Thursday, May 9, 2024. The Lord Jesus gained a most beautiful soul when He called her home to live eternal life.

Eleanor Elizabeth Ogren was born to George and Annetta (Madson) Ogren in Hayward, Wisconsin on May 26, 1931. Along with her parents, she grew up in a family of 2 sisters and 5 brothers. Even though she grew up during those very difficult years during the 30's and 40's when times were tough for many large families, there was tremendous love between Elly, her parents, and her siblings. During their adult years, they all lived a distance away from each other; however, they all remained very close throughout the years.  

Elly was very patriotic; she was especially proud of the military service of her husband, father, five brothers, son, grandchildren, and great grandchildren who have served or are currently serving.

Elly attended grade school at the Weaver Country School and Hayward High School in Hayward, graduating in 1949. She met the love of her life, James Grunewald, during her senior year in high school. Following her high school graduation, Jim and Elly were married two weeks later on June 11, 1949; they celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary shortly before Jim passed away on October 26, 2013. Seven children (Judy, Jim, Joyce, Doug, Janice, Tom, Bob) were born to this union during the years 1950 to 1963.
Since Jim was working with the State of Wisconsin (Transient Camp) at the time of their marriage, they made their home in Hayward from 1949-1951. Up to the time of the birth of their first child, Elly worked at the Hayward Laundry. In 1951, Jim transferred with the State of Wisconsin to work at the Northern Colony (later known as the Northern Center) in Chippewa Falls. They lived in Chippewa County from 1951-1968; during that time, Elly was a very busy full-time mom and homemaker. In 1968, they purchased a country grocery store in the Town of Ludington, Eau Claire County, which was known as Grunewald's Store & Locker; operating it for approximately 40 years. A few years after their retirement, they moved to Fall Creek to live in one of the fourplexes in the Fall Creek Housing Community; Elly loved her comfortable apartment and the friends she met while living there.

Besides Elly's husband, Jim, there was no one more important to her in life than her children and their families, and she was their heart and soul; she has been their rock throughout their lives. She spent her early married years taking care of a very clean and comfortable home for them and their family, and countless hours caring for their children. Every summer she had a huge garden, which kept her very busy each fall with canning and freezing the produce from that garden. She loved to pick berries and every chance she got she would be out in the woods picking those berries, which again she would can or freeze. There weren't too many things she couldn't fix during those years. She was even known to re-shingle a chicken coop all by herself, which gives everyone an idea of what she was capable of doing. When the family moved to the store in 1968, her life as wife and mom was then also consumed with working very hard beside her husband in the store and locker (in fact, she gave a whole new meaning to the phrase “chief cook and bottle washer”). With her kind and gentle heart, being a very devoted wife and a very caring and loving mom and grandma, a very hard worker, and her deep faith in God throughout her earthly years, Elly has surely earned her angel wings.

Elly's warm-hearted nature and beautiful smile, along with her hugs, will be sadly missed by her very loving family and many friends. She is survived by her seven children: Judy (Jim) Drehmel, Jim (Shirley) Grunewald, Joyce Evjen, Doug (Carrie) Grunewald, Janice (Terry) Rouleau, Tom (Mary) Grunewald, Bob (Vicki) Grunewald; 18 grandchildren: Jessie (Jack), JoAnna (Ramon), Brett (Amy), Brock, Crystal (Jason), Gwen (Louis), Craig (Amy), Lisa, Lori (Eric), Jason (Tina), Jeremy (Tricia), Jared (Kelsie), Jordan (Jessi), Hayley (Luke), Matthew (Brittany), Bradley, Ryan, Camryn; 20 great-grandchildren: Jaclyn, Jordan, Kristin, Alex, Sam, Grant, Kersten, Kaeden, Louis, Elizabeth, Erica, Ashur, Briar, Madisyn, Behr, Liam, Boden, Javlyn, Javonn, Krew; 4 great-great grandchildren: Kiylyn, Andruw, Mayci, Kinsley; 13 step-grandchildren: Jessica, Jamie, Stacey, Adler, Darcy, Cole, Carson, Griffin, Cody, Iain, Charley, Ty, Coy; sister/brother-in-law Jeanette & George Long; many nieces and nephews; and many very close and loving friends.

In addition to her husband, Jim, Elly was also preceded in death by her granddaughter Billi Jo Mickelson and great-grandson Andruw Mickelson; her parents, George and Annetta Ogren; eight brothers and sisters: Caroline (Wilfred & Norman) Fandrey, Rodney (Elsie), Allen (May), Warren (Vivian), Donald (Darlene), Kenneth (Marie); Dolores (Ray) Poppe; Richard in infancy; father/mother-in-law: August and Magdalena Grunewald; brothers/sisters-in-law: August (Joan) Grunewald, Alice (Glenn) Gregerson, Ray (Gladah) Grunewald, Guy Grunewald in infancy.
It was Elly's final wish that she be cremated and no funeral, but to have a private graveside burial with members of her immediate family present. Anderson Funeral Home of Augusta is assisting the family.

The family wishes to thank Pastor Norton from Bethlehem Lutheran Church for all his special home visits to Mom; and Dr. Jacqueline Polus for keeping Mom so very healthy all these past years.  

The family also wants to give a very special thank you for the wonderful loving care and support she received from the staff at Dove Healthcare-West Hospice Unit and the staff with St. Croix Hospice Unit; they were all truly a blessing to Mom and our family during her short stay at Dove, and especially during this very difficult time in the last two weeks of her earthly life. 

Memorial donations are suggested to: St. Croix Hospice.

To Dove and St. Croix Hospice Staff: She loved you all so very much; the wonderful care you provided and the stories that were shared by so many of you, proved to her family you loved her just as much. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!!

Our prayer for you Mom: You were a blessing from above, giving all of us strength and unconditional love. We know you didn’t want to leave us, but God had a different and most wonderful plan for you. Mom, we will forever cherish our wonderful memories of you and the loving home you provided for us; your unselfishness throughout the years, and in your last days, will be forever remembered and cherished in our hearts. May you live eternal life in comfort and peace with God's blessing. Till we meet again, rest in peace, Mom. Love forever from your “kids.”

Online condolences can be left at www.andersonfhaugusta.com