Dolores Gross
May 11, 1917 — September 19, 2011
Dolores Marie Elizabeth Gross, the oldest daughter of August Sr. and Mathilda (Kohls) Schnuettgen, was born on May 11, 1917 on her parents farm near Buck Grove, Iowa. She was baptized at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Buck Grove and confirmed at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Defiance, Iowa. She attended country school until second grade when her parents moved to a farm west of Defiance and then attended St. Paul’s Catholic School in Defiance until the eighth grade. Because Dolores was needed at home, she was unable to go on to high school.
Dolores was united in marriage to Norbert Gross on January 4, 1938 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Defiance by Father Roseman. To this union four sons and four daughters were born. After their marriage, Dolores and Norbert made their home south of Buck Grove in an area called "Pretty Prairie" until 1941 when they moved south of Earling, Iowa. In 1945, they bought a farm north of Defiance where they made their home until the death of Norbert in 1997. In September of 1999, Dolores then moved to her home in Harlan, Iowa, and became a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church.
Dolores was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America Court No. 266 of Earling and a member of the St. Peter’s Catholic Church Alter and Rosary Society of Defiance. She was an active member in her community and served as president of the Silver tops Senior Citizen club of Defiance and was an active 4-H leader of the Defiance Peppie-pals for four years. Dolores was a homemaker and loved gardening, canning, raising chickens, crocheting, and quilting. She was devoted to her faith, family, and friends. Dolores was with her family constantly when they were young and cared for her parents when they were elderly.
Dolores died on September 19, 2011 at Elm Crest Retirement Center in Harlan, Iowa, having attained the age of ninety-four years, four months, and eight days. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Norbert, sons Samuel and Thomas, sister Donna Schmitz, and brothers Othmar, August, Jr., John, and Eugene Schnuettgen.
She is survived by her children: Jim Gross and his wife Norma of Manilla, Iowa, Marcelleen and her husband Fred Youngman of Dale, Texas, Mary Jane Brody of Omaha, Nebraska, Randy Gross and his wife Virginia of Roscoe, Illinois, Virginia and her husband Paul Kruse of Harlan, Iowa, and Lorie and her husband Scott Bandow of Manilla, Iowa; twenty-three grandchildren; twenty-eight great-grandchildren; sisters Mary McCaffery of Denison, Iowa, Marie Ullrich of Ukiah, California, Rita and her husband Merle Langenfeld of Carroll, Iowa, and Betty and her husband Joe Astuto of Omaha; sisters-in-law Rose Schnuettgen of Avoca, Iowa, Mary Schnuettgen of Elkhorn, Nebraska, and Linda Schnuettgen of Denison; other family members and friends.
Rev. Ken Gross celebrated the 11:00 AM Mass of Christian Burial with concelebrants Rev. Don Bruck and Rev. Chris Fontanini on Thursday, September 22, 2011 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan, Iowa. Serving as casket bearers were Steven Youngman, David Youngman, Paul Youngman, Cameron Gross, Ethan Bandow, Shawn Brody, Zack Bandow, Doug Gross, Steve Gross, Bruce Gross, Rick Gross, and John Brody. Interment was held at Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery in Defiance, Iowa.
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Dolores was united in marriage to Norbert Gross on January 4, 1938 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Defiance by Father Roseman. To this union four sons and four daughters were born. After their marriage, Dolores and Norbert made their home south of Buck Grove in an area called "Pretty Prairie" until 1941 when they moved south of Earling, Iowa. In 1945, they bought a farm north of Defiance where they made their home until the death of Norbert in 1997. In September of 1999, Dolores then moved to her home in Harlan, Iowa, and became a member of St. Michael’s Catholic Church.
Dolores was a member of the Catholic Daughters of America Court No. 266 of Earling and a member of the St. Peter’s Catholic Church Alter and Rosary Society of Defiance. She was an active member in her community and served as president of the Silver tops Senior Citizen club of Defiance and was an active 4-H leader of the Defiance Peppie-pals for four years. Dolores was a homemaker and loved gardening, canning, raising chickens, crocheting, and quilting. She was devoted to her faith, family, and friends. Dolores was with her family constantly when they were young and cared for her parents when they were elderly.
Dolores died on September 19, 2011 at Elm Crest Retirement Center in Harlan, Iowa, having attained the age of ninety-four years, four months, and eight days. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Norbert, sons Samuel and Thomas, sister Donna Schmitz, and brothers Othmar, August, Jr., John, and Eugene Schnuettgen.
She is survived by her children: Jim Gross and his wife Norma of Manilla, Iowa, Marcelleen and her husband Fred Youngman of Dale, Texas, Mary Jane Brody of Omaha, Nebraska, Randy Gross and his wife Virginia of Roscoe, Illinois, Virginia and her husband Paul Kruse of Harlan, Iowa, and Lorie and her husband Scott Bandow of Manilla, Iowa; twenty-three grandchildren; twenty-eight great-grandchildren; sisters Mary McCaffery of Denison, Iowa, Marie Ullrich of Ukiah, California, Rita and her husband Merle Langenfeld of Carroll, Iowa, and Betty and her husband Joe Astuto of Omaha; sisters-in-law Rose Schnuettgen of Avoca, Iowa, Mary Schnuettgen of Elkhorn, Nebraska, and Linda Schnuettgen of Denison; other family members and friends.
Rev. Ken Gross celebrated the 11:00 AM Mass of Christian Burial with concelebrants Rev. Don Bruck and Rev. Chris Fontanini on Thursday, September 22, 2011 at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Harlan, Iowa. Serving as casket bearers were Steven Youngman, David Youngman, Paul Youngman, Cameron Gross, Ethan Bandow, Shawn Brody, Zack Bandow, Doug Gross, Steve Gross, Bruce Gross, Rick Gross, and John Brody. Interment was held at Sts. Peter and Paul Cemetery in Defiance, Iowa.
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