Obituary: William A. 'Bill' Gronau
NEWTON — William A. “Bill” Gronau, 100, passed away on
Monday (June 25, 2012) at Asbury Park in Newton. Bill was a lifelong farmer and
cattleman who has lived east of Newton since 1934.
Bill was born on Sept. 25, 1911, to Frank and Rosa (Adler)
Gronau on the family farm three miles north of Whitewater. He attended rural
schools through the eighth grade. His greatest education came from his parents,
who taught their children many skills.
During his childhood and early adult days, he worked on the
farm with his three brothers and sisters. The farm was self-sufficient,
containing a lumber mill, blacksmith shop, horse and cattle barns, pig and sheep
sheds, a granary and a dairy. Besides cattle and horses, they raised pigs,
sheep and all kinds of poultry. Their large gardens, including a small orchard
and vineyard, supplied food year round. They canned their own fruit and
vegetables, processed their own meat and even made their own soap.
On May 2, 1934, Bill married Clara Louise Greep of
Whitewater at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Wichita. Together with his beloved wife
Clara, he farmed, and they raised their daughters, Lorraine, Frances and Judy.
A fourth daughter, Rose Mary, passed away at a young age in 1944. Clara passed
away on Feb. 8, 2001.
During the first two years of their marriage, he and his
father and brothers built the home, which still stands proudly on his farm east
of Newton. Bill has been an active, lifelong member of St. Mary’s Catholic
Church in Newton. He has been a member of the Knights of Columbus since 1934.
His greatest passions were growing wheat and other crops on
his farm, as well as his cattle business. In 1945, he began buying, selling and
hauling cattle for local farmers and feedlot operators. Bill attended livestock
auctions in Newton, El Dorado, McPherson, Hutchinson and the Wichita
Stockyards. In the 1950s, Bill and Clara owned and operated the Newton
Livestock Auction located on East 12th Street in Newton.
Bill’s beautiful team of horses (Bonnie and Bess) were
regular participants in the team pulling contests during the Harvey County
Fair. Bill loved to bowl and was a member of the Knights of Columbus bowling
team for many years. He also loved baseball and rarely missed listening to the
Royals games on the radio. When his girls were young, he loved to coach their
softball teams and spent many hours practicing with them.
A trip to the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas in the late 1960s started
the travel wheels turning for Bill and Clara. Almost every year after harvest,
they would enjoy traveling to visit their daughters and families wherever they
lived. They traveled to Hawaii, California, Wyoming and Florida, and visited
many national parks and monuments along the way.
When his eyesight began to fail in 1990, he had to give up
his cattle business. However, he still worked in his fields until he was 90
years of age. Even until his death, he offered his advice as to what and where
he wanted certain crops to be planted on his farm.
Bill is survived by daughters, Lorraine Farnan and husband,
Lewis of Newton, Frances Harger and husband, Donald of Jackson Hole, Wyo., and
Judith McKibben and husband, George of Clearwater, Fla.; five grandchildren,
Tony Farnan of Newton, Keith Harger of Jackson Hole, Wyo., Cindy Harger of
Jackson Hole, Wyo., Jackie Van Sant of Dunedin, Fla., and Donna Hatzikoutelis
of Smyrna, Ga.; 12 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
Bill was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Clara
Louise (Greep) Gronau; a daughter, Rosemary; a granddaughter, Lynn Farnan; his
parents, Frank and Rosa (Adler) Gronau; brothers, John, Bernard (infant),
Albert and Martin; sisters, Mary McNeill, Katherine Overwaul, Rosie (infant)
and Anna Endres.
Rosary will be recited at St. Mary’s Catholic Church at 7
p.m. Friday (June 29, 2012).
The Funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Saturday (June 30, 2012) at St.
Mary’s Catholic Church, Eighth and Main Streets in Newton.
Interment will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Friends may call at the funeral home from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in Bill’s memory may be made
to St. Mary’s School Building Fund, in care of Broadway Colonial Funeral Home,
120 E. Broadway, Newton, KS 67114.
Condolences may be left at www.broadwaycolonialfh.com.
Arrangements are by Broadway Colonial Funeral Home of
Newton.
