Ronald Erwin Grieme

Ronald Erwin Grieme, age 78 of Sioux City went home to Jesus on June 9, 2018. Visitation will be Tuesday, June 12 from 5:00-8:00 with a prayer service at 7:00 at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Sioux City, IA. A private committal service will be held on Wednesday, June 13 at the Eureka Township Cemetery in Schaller IA. A celebration of life service will be held that afternoon at 1:30 PM at Redeemer Lutheran Church, Sioux City IA.

Ron was born May 27, 1940 at Porth Hospital in Storm Lake, Iowa to Erwin and Mabel (Young) Grieme. He was baptized June 16, 1940 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Galva and was confirmed April 11, 1954 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Schaller.

Ron started country school at Eureka No. 2 on October 16, 1945 and graduated from Schaller High School May 22, 1958. Ron married Karen McDonough August 23, 1959 at the Little Brown Church in Nashua Iowa. They were blessed with three children, Kathryn, Kevin and Deborah. They hosted a foreign exchange student from Holland, Durk DeBoer, who became family.

Ron worked for Schaller Telephone Co. the summers of 1957 and 1958 as a lineman and installing dial phones in Galva and Schaller. He then worked at the Pfister Associated Growers Seed plant north of Schaller. Ron and Karen started farming west of Early. They lived there nine years and then moved and farmed north of Schaller until 2007, when they had a farm sale. They moved to Sioux City to be closer to their family. Ron continued working as a crop adjuster.

Horses were an important part of Ron and Karen’s upbringing which continued on their farm. Ron trained many horses to ride and drive. He raised Golden American Saddlebreds and trained and showed them in Northwest Iowa shows and several state fairs. He also had Belgian and Percheron draft horses that he showed and drove in many parades. Ron and Karen had a dispersal sale in April, 2003 and sold all of their horses and equipment.

Ron was a very active church member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Schaller, Grace Lutheran Church in Storm Lake , and Redeemer Lutheran in Sioux City and held many offices at each of them. He was a 4-H leader in Sac County for 15 years and a volunteer EMT in Schaller for 22 years.

Besides church, family and horses, he enjoyed woodworking, especially making cabinets, sports, traveling, and was very faithful in attending his kid’s and grandkid’s activities.

Ron is survived by his wife of 59 years, Karen. Children: Kathy (Kent) Johnson of Akron, IA, Kevin (Brenda) Grieme of Lawton, IA and Deb (Kelvin) Ayers of Twin Lakes, ID; Durk (Shawna) DeBoer, Dublin TX. Grandchildren, Shelby Johnson and fiancé Kyle Newell, Newton; Tasha Johnson, Iowa City; Kendall (Amanda) Grieme, Ankeny; Kyle Grieme, Moville; Kallie Grieme, Lawton; Kelsey (Jordan) Janz, Aurora CO; Brianna Ayers and fiancé Mitch Renfrow, Moscow, ID; Janneke and Pietra DeBoer, Dublin, TX. Great Granddaughter, Madelyn Janz, Aurora CO. Siblings Larry (Sue) Grieme; Mayrean (Dean) McDonough; Dick (Dixie) Grieme. Brothers-in-law Dean (Mayrean) McDonough; Tom (Kay) McDonough and Dale (Jodie) McDonough and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Erwin and Mabel Grieme, parent-in-laws Pete and Inez McDonough, brother-in-law Richard McDonough and granddaughter Kelli Johnson.

Memorials may be directed to Special Troopers Adaptive Riding School (STARS) which provides animal assisted therapies at 33148 K-22, Sioux City, IA 51108 or Mission Central at 40718 Highway E 16, Mapleton, Iowa 51034.