Mary Lou Gritten

SIOUX CITY -- Mary Lou Gritten, 70, of Sioux City passed away Friday, July 23, 2010, at a local hospital following a lengthy illness.

Services will be 1 p.m. Tuesday at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, with the Rev. Dan Guenther officiating. Burial will be at a later date in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Monday, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., and a vigil service at 7 p.m., at Meyer Brothers Morningside Chapel, 6200 Morningside Ave. Condolences may be sent online to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Mary Lou was born Sept. 22, 1939, in Sioux City, the daughter of George and Gertrude (Redmond) Harrington. She graduated from Bishop Heelan High School.

She was married to Albert Hines. Then on Oct. 25, 1961, she married David V. Gritten in Webster, S.D. He died July 21, 1976, in Sioux City. Mary Lou was a lifelong Sioux City resident except for nine years in Cherokee, Iowa. She worked for U.S. West (now Qwest) for 35 years and retired April 1, 1993.

She was a member of Immaculate Conception Church and a former member of Sacred Heart Parish. She was also a member of the Telephone Pioneers, Sioux City Eagles Club, Izaak Walton League and Girls of '68. Mary Lou enjoyed traveling, square dancing and polka dancing. However, her greatest enjoyment was spending time with her family.

She is survived by her two daughters, Beverly (Russ) Berg and Alissa (Mike) Gritten, and a daughter-in-law, Lisa Gritten, all of Sioux City; 10 grandchildren, Derrick (Heidi) Berg, Justin (Melissa) Berg, Dustin Berg, Nicole Gritten, Sean Gritten, Mike, Mark, Lance, Jake and Will Gritten; eight great-grandchildren; two brothers, Mike (Marcia) Harrington of Minneapolis, Minn., and Jim (Marti) Harrington of Centennial, Colo.; two sisters, Helen Anne (Phil) Boyer of Phoenix, Ariz., and Patti (Jerry) Abdo of Sioux City; and a special friend, Wayne Stodden of Sioux City.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a son, David Gritten; and a brother, Bill Harrington.

Pallbearers will be Derrick, Justin, Dustin and Sean Gritten, Russell Berg, Mike and Jim Harrington. Honorary pallbearers will be her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.