Earl V. Griebel

Earl V. Griebel, 81, of Bellevue passed away on Tuesday, February 26th, 2008, in the home in which he was born. Earl was born to Arthur and Cora Hinke Griebel at the Griebel century family farm in Tete des Morts Township on February 16, 1927. He married Helen Budde on October 15, 1950 at St. Johns Lutheran Church, Bellevue. Earl was very proud of his heritage. He was descended from Jackson County and Galena, Illinois early pioneer settlers and the first Tete des Morts Township settlers, Louis and Hannah Hartwig Efferding, and Bernhard and Maria Huber Sanders. Other pioneer family names included Houselog, Hachman, Wacker, Kucheman, Hueneke, Brown and Hassig. Five of Earls great, great grandparents helped to establish St. Johns Lutheran Church, St. Donatus in the early 1850s. He farmed his entire life and also worked at Clinton Engine Corp., Maquoketa and Flexsteel Industries, Dubuque. He attended a country school and as a young boy learned to hunt, trap, fish, play softball, and do field work while driving a team of Belgian horses. He was a charter member of the Bellevue Pioneer 4-H Club and later became one of its leaders. He belonged to a local softball league. He was a lifelong, diehard Chicago Cubs fan. For many years he raised registered Hampshire hogs and was a member of the Jackson County Pork Producers. For the last several years he raised Angus cattle. He was very interested in genealogy and Civil War history and loved country and southern gospel music, dancing and playing euchre. He was well known (or famous) for his homemade apple pies. Earl lived his life as a true Christian and was friend to everyone. He had a compassionate nature and was devoted to his wife and family. At age 18 he entered the Navy and served on a LST in the Pacific Theater during World War II. He was a lifelong member of St. Johns Lutheran Church where he was baptized, confirmed and married. He was a church council member, an usher and a member of Lutheran Men in Mission. He was also a member of American Legion Post 273, the Iowa Angus Association and the Iowa LST Association. Surviving are his wife, Helen, four children, Kenneth (Anita) Griebel of Bellevue, Elizabeth (Dennis) Kilburg of Springbrook, Elise (Ted) Gould of Cedar Rapids, Ann (John) Skoff of Bellevue; thirteen grandchildren, Victoria (Gordon) Dixon of Chicago, Arthur Griebel of Phoenix, Joanna Griebel of Los Angeles, Jeanette Griebel and Thomas Griebel of Bellevue, Thaddeus Griebel of Milan, Italy, Erin Kilburg of Chicago, Cassandra Kilburg of Springbrook and Brett Kilburg of Iowa City, Laura (Brandon) Borek and Nick Gould of Cedar Rapids, Lucas and Melinda Skoff of Bellevue; three great grandchildren, Jared McGuire, Kempton Kilburg and Carson Borek; two brothers Richard Griebel of Dubuque, Glenn (Cheri) Griebel of Bellevue, one sister-in-law, Betty Budde of Bellevue, two brothers-in-law, Ross Reed of Bellevue, Robert (Virginia) Budde of Davenport, two cousins Mary Kay (Norman) Busch and Lawrence (Mary Lou) Griebel, and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, his grandparents J. Dietrich and Ida Millman Hinke and Ernst and Christina Watry Griebel, a sister Ellen Griebel Reed, a nephew Phillip Reed and a great-nephew Kyle Reed, a niece, Susan Griebel, a sister-in-law, Irene Oberfoell Griebel and a brother-in-law, Thomas Budde. Funeral Services will be held at 11 A.M. on Saturday, March 1st, 2008, at St. Johns Lutheran Church, Bellevue. Pastor Paul Gammelin will officiate. Burial will be in St. Johns Lutheran Cemetery where military honors will be accorded by American Legion Post 273 of Bellevue. Friends may call Friday, from 3 to 7 P.M. at St. Johns Lutheran Church, Bellevue, and on Saturday, 9:30 AM, until time of service, at the Church. The Kingery~Lemke Funeral Home of Bellevue is in charge of the arrangements. Online at www.kingeryfuneralhome.com The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at Medical Associates of Bellevue and Dubuque, Hospice of Dubuque, Mercy Home Care, Mercy Medical Center and the VA Hospital in Iowa City for their wonderful care and support.