Dorothy Grubb

Dorothy Grubb

Dorothy Grubb
December 21, 1922 – December 24, 2013
Pella, Iowa | Age 91

Dorothy Grubb, 91, of Pella died, Tuesday, December 24, 2013, at the Pella Hospice Comfort House, in Pella.

Dorothy was born December 21, 1922, at Kansas City, Missouri, the daughter of Earl and Elizabeth Elsloo Thompson. She graduated from Northeast High School in Kansas City with the class of 1939.

Early on Dorothy worked at an ice cream shop and later a dry goods store in Kansas City. She and her mother moved to Oskaloosa and she went to work for Woolworth five and dime. It was while working there that she met John B. Grubb, the two of them were married on June 15, 1941, at Lancaster, Missouri.

Following their marriage they moved to the Grubb Family Farm near Barnes City. Dorothy learned to be a farm wife from her mother in law Zena. She was always busy in and around the house. She had a large garden, strawberry patch, fruit trees and chickens. She stayed busy canning and freezing what she had raised. True to her hospitable ways, Dorothy always prepared plenty of food and goodies for the people working on the farm. Dorothy and John lived on the Grubb home place near Barnes City for over 59 years before moving to Pella in 2000. John died on March 10, 2004.

Cooking and baking were two of her talents, everyone in her family had a favorite dish that she would prepare. She did her best to pass down her passion for caring for her family to future generations. Dorothy was a very talented seamstress, she made much of her family’s clothing, she also made many of John’s suits, her daughter and her daughter-in-law’s wedding dresses. She was mending articles of clothing and sewing in November of this year. Dorothy was a very active member of the Christian Church, first they were active members of the Indianapolis Christian Church and later transferred their membership to First Christian Church in Oskaloosa. Dorothy was a very active member of the church, she sang for many years, helped with Sunday School, Bible School, and served many meals at the church for various functions. She was also very good about staying in touch with family and friends through cards and letters, she never missed an opportunity to send a card or note. Dorothy also always enjoyed finding a great deal on items that she needed.

Her family includes her two children and their spouses, Kathy and Gerben Veenstra of Pella and Bill and Ginger Grubb of Barnes City, Iowa; three grandchildren, Renee (& Mark) McCulley, Deanna (& Joel) Arkema and Samantha Grubb (& Ezekiel Howell); four great grandchildren, Jacob and Sydney McCulley and Liam and Elly Arkema; a half-sister, Rita (& Bob) Hockenhull of St. Louis, Missouri; three sisters in law, Twila Grubb of Muskegon, Michigan, Harriet (& Jim) Piersel of Loveland Colorado, and Mildred Borts of Mingo, Iowa; a brother in law, Mayo Grubb of Oskaloosa; two step sisters, Esther DePrenger of Chicago, Illinois and Martha Veldhuizen of Oskaloosa; two step brothers, Elmer (& Carolyn) Veldhuizen of Oskaloosa and Wayne (& Leona) Veldhuizen of Leighton.

In addition to her husband, Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; a grandson, Jeffrey Veenstra; and a granddaughter, Melissa “Missy” Grubb.

Funeral Services will be held Saturday, December 28, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. in the First Christian Church in Oskaloosa with Reverend Mike Omundson officiating.
Burial will be in the Indianapolis Cemetery near What Cheer, Iowa. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements.
Visitation will begin Friday after 12 noon and the family will be at the funeral chapel from 6-7:30 Friday evening to greet friends and relatives.
In lieu of flowers please make memorials to Indianapolis Cemetery or Oskaloosa First Christian Church.