Alveda Gronewold

Alveda (Allie) Gronewold, 81, of Atlantic passed away March 31, 2019, at Atlantic Specialty Care.

Allie was born September 13, 1937, to Chris and Bertha (Baehr) Meints at Cortland, Nebraska, the youngest of four children. Raised on a farm, she attended country schools and then high school in Adams, Nebraska, graduating in 1954. She then went to work for an abstract company in Lincoln, Nebraska.

In 1956, she was united in marriage to Harlan (Hal) Gronewold at Ft Bragg, NC, where Hal was stationed with the U. S. Army. Three children were born to this union: Christy, David and Stephanie. After Hal’s discharge in 1957 they moved to Denver, Colorado, where Allie went to work for Aetna Insurance to help Hal get through college. Beginning in 1962, Allie traveled with Hal and their children to Houston, TX, Minneapolis, MN and Columbia, SC on Hal’s various assignments with the FBI. In 1966, they moved to Iowa, first to Red Oak and then in 1969 to Atlantic, which became their permanent home. During these moves, Allie performed the difficult tasks of raising the children and maintaining households in these various communities.

In 1976, Allie began working retail in a small book store, which eventually became Gift World, and it was there that she discovered her talent for merchandising and decorating. She loved traveling to gift shows, discovering unique and stylish gift items and displaying them in a way that appealed to customers, especially around the holiday season. Allie had a way of making everything around her beautiful. This spilled over into everything she did – whether it was sewing clothes, nurturing plants and flowers, gathering the family around the piano for Christmas carols, or just spending time with loved ones. She always added a touch of class.

Allie operated Gift World until 1995 when she sold the store to pursue other interests, including traveling and constructing a new house. After the house was completed in 1997, she kept busy with decorating and gardening at their new home. Allie had many interests and talents, but her main passion was her love of animals. Her indoor pets were limited to 2 or 3 cats, but the outdoor creatures always found a welcoming attitude at her place, and the deer, possums, raccoons, stray cats, etc. often visited to find little morsels of food she had put out for them.

Allie was a past member of the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce and, after her retirement, was a member of a local chapter of the PEO. Allie loved God and was an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church – singing in the church choir, participating in her church circle, and setting up the fall decorations at the church altar. She loved her family and never failed to remember the grandchildren on their birthdays or special occasions. Allie was precious to many and will be dearly missed.

Allie was preceded in death by her parents, Chris and Bertha Meints; by her two brothers, Raymond and Edwin; her sister, Esther; and by a grandson, Marcus Precella.

She is survived by her husband, Hal; daughters, Christy Wood of Atlantic and Stephanie (Jim) Ramm of Des Moines; her son, David (Charlene) Gronewold of League City, TX; granddaughters, Katy (Dan) Beckman, Jessica (Anthony) Farnsworth, Karen Wood, Amy Wood and Marie Precella; and great-grandchildren, Cayden Dalme, Brianna Farnsworth, Cash Dalme, Camryn Dalme and A. J. Farnsworth; by several brothers/sisters-in-law; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.

A visitation with family will be held from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. on Friday, APRIL 12 , 2019, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Atlantic. The funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, APRIL 13 , 2019, also at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to the local Alzheimer’s Association, or to the Nishna Valley Family YMCA, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, or the Atlantic Animal Shelter.