Thomas F. Grellner, 91, of Rich Fountain, passed away peacefully on Monday, Aug. 7, 2023, at Jefferson City Manor.
He was born Feb. 28, 1932, a son to the late Henry Joseph and Anna Marie (Bauer) Grellner in Rich Fountain.
He graduated from Rich Fountain school and then attended the Auto Trade School in Kansas City.
Tom honorably served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He served with great pride. He was a member of Linn V.F.W. Post 4756.
He was united in marriage to Elsie Bock, May 4th, 1957, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Rich Fountain. Elsie survives.
After Tom’s discharge from the Army, he started his farming career on a small farm in Rich Fountain. An opportunity came to buy a bigger farm in Frankenstein, where he raised hogs and cattle. His love for farm life showed in all he did. In earlier years, he worked for James Kever Construction, where he built many houses in Osage County and the surrounding area. Tom was a fixer upper; he could fix almost anything that was broken. His love for woodworking continued and each of the kids, grandkids and some of the great-grandchildren had something that he made. If there was a scrap of wood, he would make it into something. After he retired from farming, Tom and Elsie moved back to Rich Fountain.
Tom loved making grape wine, which everybody enjoyed just as much as he enjoyed making it. He also liked to fish, sitting on the banks every Sunday for hours, always coming home with some fish. He also loved hunting, especially coon hunting. If you wanted to visit with Tom, you needed to let him know early, or he was gone. He would get the dogs and one of the kids and away they would go.
Tom was preceded in death by parents, Henry and Anna; brothers, Paul, Joe and Bill Grellner, sisters, Margaret Grellner and Ann Wibberg; brothers-in-law, Ben Fick, Leroy Stegeman, Bert Rudroff, Gus Wieberg and Ted Weider; and sisters-in-law, Mabel Grellner and Evelyn Weider.
He is survived by wife of 66 years, Elsie; children, Gene (Janis) Grellner, Judy (Kevin) Hicks, Mary Kever (Mark Meyer) all of Linn, John (Jill) Grellner of Wardsville, Diane (Charles) Haslag of Loose Creek, Rhonda (Randy) Briot of Russellville, Wayne (Jenn) Grellner of North Carolina and Alan (Carrie) Grellner of Linn; grandchildren, Garrett (Cassidy) Grellner, Mikayla (Luke) Pecher, Lindsay Grellner, Andy (Kristan) Dudenhoeffer, Abby (Clayton) Niemann, Chad (Sam Neal) Kever, Morgan (Stephanie) Williams, Zach (Asthon) Kever, Taylor (Kyle) Schenewerk, Amberlyn (Ryan) Ferrell, Chantz (Scott Fisher) Grellner, Seth Grellner, Owen Grellner, Jacob Haslag, Clayton Haslag, Allison Haslag, Brittany (Nate) Gibson, Megan (Garrett) Morgan, Lizzie Grellner, and Ellie Grellner, Ryan(fiancée Hali Buckley), and Josh Grellner; 13 great-grandchildren, Jane, Claire, Theo, Wyatt, Nora, Eve, Georgia, Bennett, Davi Jo, Hallie, Kolton, Remington, Charlie with two more on the way; brother, Ed Grellner of Freeburg; sisters, Helen Rudroff, and Christine Fick both of Rich Fountain, Betty Stegeman of Meta, Joanie (Celsus) Stegeman of Folk, and Cathy (Harry) Bernskoetter of Taos; and sister-in-law, Catherine (Paul) Knoch of Gulf Shores, Ala.; along with many nieces, and nephews.
Visitation will be held Monday, Aug. 14, from 9–11 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Rich Fountain with a Mass of Christian burial to follow at 11 a.m. with Fr. William Debo as the celebrant. Interment with full military honors will be held in Sacred Heart Parish Cemetery.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to Sacred Heart Endowment Fund or American Parkinson Disease Association.
