Elva Catherine Graeve was born on March 15, 1911, to George and Katherine (Muschitz) Klein on the family farm near Persia, Iowa. She was baptized at St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church in Portsmouth, Iowa. The family moved to a farm north of Earling, Iowa, where Elva attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Earling and was confirmed at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.
She was united in marriage to Chris Graeve on February 3, 1932 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling. Five children were born to this union: Joseph, Jean, Gerald, Melvin, and Glenn. After their marriage, they lived on Chris’s father’s farm until 1947 when they bought their own farm north of Earling.
After her children were older, she worked for a few years at Little Flower Haven Nursing Home in Earling. In 1977, Elva and Chris retired and built a new home in Earling.
She was a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, the Altar Society, and a past member of the Catholic Daughters Court St. Katherine No. 266, 3rd order of St. Francis, and the Earling quilters.
She loved her family and her greatest joy were her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She made quilts and afghans for all the new babies in the family. She loved gardening, sewing, baking, playing, cards, and visiting friends.
On November 3, 2005, Elva became a resident of Little Flower Haven in Earling and lived there until her death on Wednesday, September 15, 2010 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan, Iowa. She had attained the age of ninety-nine years and six months. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Chris, an infant son Glenn, and her brothers: Leo, Alfred, Ray, Alfons, Harold, and Lavern.
She is survived by her children: Joe Graeve and his wife Gloria of Oceanside, California, Jean her husband John Assmann of Earling, Iowa, Melvin Graeve of Earling, and Gerald Graeve and his wife Kathy of Omaha, Nebraska; eleven grandchildren; seventeen great-grandchildren; sister Maurine Lehan of Gretna, Nebraska; sister-in-law Lucine Klein of Harlan, Iowa; other family members and friends.
Rev. Chris Fontanini celebrated the 10:30 AM Mass of Christian Burial on Saturday, September 18, 2010 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Earling, Iowa. Serving as casket bearers were Shawn Graeve, Allan Assman, Shane Graeve, Pat Graeve, Trent Owens, and Travis Owens. Interment was held at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Earling.
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