Obituary of Marion Gronis

MARION MARGARET GRONIS DIXON-Marion Margaret Gronis, 95, passed away Wednesday, December 19, 2012 at Dixon Healthcare. She was employed by Frantz Manufacturing and Lawrence Brothers, as a secretary for many years, prior to retirement. Marion was born January 28, 1917 on a farm north-east of Oregon, IL, the daughter of Earl Wilkinson and Ellen Henrietta (Lingham) Shaw. She and her family moved to the farm near Prophetstown when she was six years old and later moved to Sterling. She married George W. Gronis on June 8, 1940 . He preceded her in death on February 6, 1991. She raised her family in a home in the area of Fourth Avenue and Fourteenth Street in Sterling. She enjoyed playing bridge with many of her high school classmates for several years. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and daughter, Sally J. Douglas and one brother, Robert L. Shaw. Survivors include one daughter, Nancy A. (Ronald) Lenhart of Polo; six grandchildren, Jeffrey A. (Barbara) Lenhart of Emerson, Lisa E. (Randy) Lollar of Loveland Colorado, Julie A. Cullen of St. Charles, Jennifer (Randy) Mattson of Aledo, Steven (Jennifer) Douglas of Monmouth and Rebecca (Wayne) Ferrenburg of Monmouth; nineteen great grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; one sister-in-law, June Shaw of Rock Falls; three nieces, Pat Mammosser of Rock Falls, Chris Jennings of Sterling and Lauri Aylard of California and one nephew Steven Shaw of Colorado. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 AM Saturday at the Schilling Funeral Home, Sterling with the Reverend Mark Oehlert, pastor of St. Johns's Lutheran Church, Sterling, officiating. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9:30 - 10:30 AM, prior to services. A memorial has been established to St. John's Lutheran Church. Condolences may be sent to schillingfuneralhome.com.