James “Jim” L. Grunden, 81, of Remsen, Iowa passed away on Sunday, May 20, 2018, at Happy Siesta Health Care Center in Remsen, IA.
Memorial mass will be Friday, June 8, 2018, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Remsen, IA with Fr. William McCarthy officiating. Burial will follow in the St. Mary’s Cemetery in Remsen. Visitation with family present will be 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, with a parish rosary and vigil prayer service all at 5:00 p.m. at Fisch Funeral Home & Monument in Remsen. Services have been entrusted to Fisch Funeral Home & Monument of Remsen. Condolences can be sent online to www.fischfh.com.
Jim was born Sept. 1, 1936, to Leonard and Dorothy (Jackson) Grunden in Walnut Grove, MN.
He was raised in the Walnut Grove area and graduated from Walnut Grove High School in 1954.
In 1956 he married Dorothy Bluestone. The couple made their home in Minneapolis, MN where they raised four children before divorcing in 1984. Jim worked as a parts man for those years.
In 1986 he married Kay Loutsch. He drove truck for R & R Express until 1989 when they moved to Remsen and in 1990 started driving for Arens Trucking. After retiring in 2002 he went to work for Walmart in 2003 as a greeter till his health changed in 2012.
Jim was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
Left to cherish Jim’s memory is his wife, Kay of Remsen; three daughters, Kathy Rykhus, Kim (David) Amundsen and Teresa Johnson all of Redwood Falls, MN; one son, Alan (Mary) Grunden of Tracy, MN; one step-daughter, Jean French of Sioux City, IA; one sister, Bonnie (John) Pagel of Jamestown, ND; two brothers, Larry Grunden of Rochester, MN, Art (Jane) Grunden of Sun Prairie, WI; 14 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren; one step-grandson; numerous nieces & nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Mother & Father-in-law, and his brother, Ron (Kathy) Grunden.