Richard “Dick” A. Grunwald

Richard “Dick” A. Grunwald, 95, of Garner passed away Thursday, August 29, 2024, at the Summit House Assisted Living in Britt.

A memorial mass will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, September 7, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Garner with Rev. Fr. Andrew Marr officiating. A flag presentation ceremony will be conducted by the Garner Veterans Ceremonial Unit. Inurnment will be in the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Preston, Minn. at a later date.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to services at the church on Saturday. Cataldo Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Wounded Warrior Project.

Dick was born on October 24, 1928, to George and Emma (Alland) Grunwald, in Albert Lea, Minn. He graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1946 and attended Dunwoody College of Technology in Minneapolis, Minn. from 1947-1948. Dick worked at an architectural firm in Forest City from 1949-50. He met his future wife, Virgie Hardwig of St. Joseph, Minn., before being deployed to Korea in the US Army, where he served in the Artillery from 1950-52. Upon his release from the Army, they were married on September 6, 1952. They relocated to Mason City where he worked for a stone business and they welcomed their first child, Linda in 1955. They moved to Clear Lake where their children, Daniel and Nancy were born. The family later moved to Le Center, Minn., where he worked for Babcock Stone Company in Kasota, Minn. in 1966-68. He then taught building, drafting and estimating at St. Cloud Technical College in St. Cloud, Minn. from 1968 until retirement in 1987. After his retirement, they lived on Horseshoe Lake in Richmond, Minn. and later on the Pine River, Minn. golf course. Dick and Virgie built their final home in Garner in 1995, where Dick enjoyed playing golf, fishing, playing cards, and spending time with his children and grandchildren. Dick had many lifelong friendships, had a great sense of humor, and was always quick with a song, or a joke, sometimes laughing before the punch line. He was the life of the party.

Dick is survived by his son, Dan (Judy) Grunwald of Ventura, and their sons, Connor and Ryan (fiancée, Kayla); daughter, Nancy (Tim) Tovar of Corvallis, Ore. and their children, Alex and Lauren; grandson, Michael DeOtis of Alexandria, Minn. and his children, McKallah and Ayden; nieces, Gloria and Betty and nephew, Jeff.

He was preceded in death by his parents; loving wife, Virgie of 66 years; daughter, Linda; brother, Gordon; sister, Clarice; and nephew, Gary.