Obit: Grether, Anna Maria (1898 - 1975)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Grether, Reineck, Stucki, Stubbs, Gress, Ploeger, Scott, Retting, Leonardson, Rasche, Bopp, Spire, Awe, Bremer, Dunn, Stuebbe, Horn, Hall, Markus, Vogtlander, Hartman, Zoutendam, Clark

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 2/20/1975

Grether, Anna Maria (17 July 1898 – 11 February 1975)

A member of a prominent early missionary family of the area, Mrs. Anna Maria Grether of Neillsville, died Tuesday, February 11, at the age of 76. Funeral services were held Friday from the United Church of Christ with the Rev. Gary Clark officiating. Interment was in the Indian Mission Cemetery at rural Black River Falls. The Georgas-Gesche Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Born July 17, 1898, at Black River Falls to the Rev. Jacob and Johanna (Reineck) Stucki, she received her education at the Mission School at Black River Falls and at Mission Home Academy, Plymouth.

Her marriage to the Rev. David Grether took place August 30, 1916. The couple lived in Neillsville for nine years, in Indiana for 17 years, and then moved to Colby where they were living at time of his death on May 22, 1945. Thereafter, Mrs. Grether lived in several places before moving back to Neillsville in 1947.

She was married to the Rev. George Grether on June 15, 1956, in Neillsville. He preceded her in death on December 8, 1965.

Mrs. Grether, who worked at the Winnebago Indian School for several years before her retirement passed away following a brief illness. She was a member of the United Church of Christ, the local Red Cross Volunteers organization and the Beaux Arts Club.

Surviving are five children: Rev. Jacob W. Grether of Windsor, Co., Mrs. Calvin (Marie) Stubbs of Shafter, Ca., Prof. Frank Grether of St. Cloud, Mn., Mrs. Albert (Ruth) Gress of Trotwood, Oh., and Mrs. Chester (Grace) Ploeger of Manitowoc; and four step-children: Mrs. Kenneth (Aurelia) Scott of Douglastown, N. Y., Mrs. Richard (Edna) Retting of Greensville, Pa., Mrs. B. W. (Margaret) Leonardson of Mt. Claire, N.J., and Mrs. H.H. (Gertrude) Rasche of Fairbanks, Ak.

She is also survived, by two sisters: Mrs. Lydia Bopp and Mrs. Johanna Spire, both of Youngstown, Oh., one brother, Dr. J. C. Stucki of Denver, Co.; and 16 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Pallbearers were: Frank Grether, Tim Grether, William Grether, Warren Hall, Jacob Stucki and Ron Markus.

The Rev. and Mrs. Jacob Grether and the congregation sang “Peace Be Still” and “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” A violin solo, “Air,” was played by Mrs. Jean Hartman. Mrs. Beulah Zoutendam was the organist.

Among those attending the services were the following from out of town: Arthur Awe, Greenwood; Mrs. Esther Bremer and daughter, Deborah, Marshfield; Mrs. Gary Dunn and sons, David and Mark, Arvada, Co.; Miss Eulalia Grether, Loveland, Co.; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Grether, St. Cloud, Mn.; Rev. and Mrs. Jacob Grether, Windsor, Co.; Mr. and Mrs. Tim Grether and daughters, Gina, Kim, Wendy and Holly, Evanston, Wy.; Mr. and Mrs. William Grether and David Stucki, Madison;

Mr. and Mrs. Albert Gress, Trotwood, Oh.; Mrs. Jean Hartman, Lima, Oh.; Rev. and Mrs. Chester Ploeger of Manitowoc; Mrs. Calvin Stuebbe, Shafter, Ca.; Mrs. K. J. Stuebbe and Mrs. Robert Horn Valders: Mr. and Mrs. Warren Hall, Fort Collins, Co.; Mr. and Mrs. Ron Markus, Kewaskum; Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Stucki, Kalamazoo, Mi.; Mr. and Mrs. William Stucki, Ann Arbor, Mi.; Mrs. Elizabeth Vogtlander, Colby.