Roger Allan Gruenke passed away on September 29th, 2021 at his home with his loving wife and daughters by his side.
Roger was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on October 1st, 1940 to Aloys and Barbara Gruenke. He spent the majority of his childhood growing up in St. Paul, Minnesota, with his two sisters and three brothers. Roger excelled in school and made his education a priority.
After graduating high school, he received his Bachelors in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota. While at U of M, he was in the ROTC program and went into the Air Force after graduating. He spent 4 years in the Air Force and worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio as an electronics engineer. He spent his years there mostly in a cave studying the effects of sound on the military. After the military, he continued his education by earning his Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from Ohio State University, then his Doctorate from Ohio State as well.
Roger spent time in Zurich, Switzerland after he received his doctorate and worked as an Oberassistent for IBTZ. His career brought him many places, including Salt Lake City, Utah and Wilmington, Delaware. He enjoyed moving and getting to spend time in different places within his career. Roger started with Puritan-Bennett Corp. in Lenexa, Kansas in 1986 and stayed with them for 12 years. There he conducted research on sleep disorder appliances.
Perhaps his greatest venture began when he retired, establishing his own business of Merope, LLC with their primary specialty being in astronomical cameras. Simultaneously, he formed Gruenke & Associates as an Independent Consultant on Biomedical matters. Roger was a member of the Astronomical Society of Kansas City from 1986 until his passing. In 2002 he was awarded the Helen A. Warkoczewski Award, honoring his contributions to the astronomical focus and building of the observatory in Kansas City.
When asked what Roger was most proud of, he simply said, “My family.” Roger was blessed with six children throughout his life. He emphasized to his family how important education, acceptance and love was. He enjoyed traveling and loved astronomy and classical music.
Roger met Patricia in September of 2003, after losing his previous wife to cancer. Pat remembers Roger taking her to the Louisburg Kansas Powell Observatory, where he was a keyholder, and he showed her Saturn-- introducing her to the world of astronomy. The two were wed on December 28th, 2006. Pat and Roger enjoyed going to the Kansas City Symphony together, and volunteered as ushers for the symphony for many years. The two enjoyed traveling together, a special trip highlight being that they got to witness the total eclipse in Casper, Wyoming in 2017.
Roger’s passing will have a large impact on many lives in the Kansas City area, and all over the country. The gifts and generosity that Roger contributed to the world in his patents, camera engineering and CPAP machinery will be felt all over. On one of Roger’s final days, he was able to oversee the gifting of his milling machine to the DeSoto School District Technology Lab. The gift of this machine will be used to provide learning opportunities to future engineers for years to come.
Roger is preceded in death by his parents and his late wife, Beverly Woodhouse Gruenke. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Nelson Gruenke; children Jae Gruenke (Eric Barnhill), Elaine Gruenke (Gawain Weaver), Matthew Gruenke along with their mother Gigi Gruenke; children Ryan (Naiana) Hadenfeld, Ashlin (Zak) Hoffhines, and Maria Hernandez; 9 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; siblings Mary Ann (Pat) Senn, Mark Gruenke, Carol (Jack) Orrell, Jerry (Julie) Gruenke, and Dennis (Darlene) Gruenke; and countless family members and friends who will miss him dearly.
A visitation will be held on Sunday, October 3rd from 5-7 pm at the Amos Family Funeral Home in Shawnee, Kansas. The funeral will be held at Good Shepherd Catholic Church on Monday, October 4th. A time for visiting with the family will begin at 9:20 am, with the rosary said at 9:45 am and mass starting at 10 am. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Astronomical Society of Kansas City and to the Kansas City Symphony.
Mass
Start Date: October 4, 2021, 10:00 am
End Date: October 4, 2021, 11:00 am
Good Shepherd Catholic Church
12800 W 75th Street
Shawnee , KS 66216
Phone: 913-631-7116
Visitation
Start Date: October 3, 2021, 5:00 pm
End Date: October 3, 2021, 7:00 pm
Amos Family Funeral Home
10901 Johnson Dr.
Shawnee, KS 66203
Phone: 913-631-5566
Visitation
Start Date: October 4, 2021, 9:20 am
End Date: October 4, 2021, 10:00 am
Good Shepherd Catholic Church
12800 W 75th Street
Shawnee , KS 66216
Phone: 913-631-7116
Final Resting Place
St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery
61st & Quivira Rd.
Shawnee, KS
Roger was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota on October 1st, 1940 to Aloys and Barbara Gruenke. He spent the majority of his childhood growing up in St. Paul, Minnesota, with his two sisters and three brothers. Roger excelled in school and made his education a priority.
After graduating high school, he received his Bachelors in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota. While at U of M, he was in the ROTC program and went into the Air Force after graduating. He spent 4 years in the Air Force and worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio as an electronics engineer. He spent his years there mostly in a cave studying the effects of sound on the military. After the military, he continued his education by earning his Masters of Science in Electrical Engineering from Ohio State University, then his Doctorate from Ohio State as well.
Roger spent time in Zurich, Switzerland after he received his doctorate and worked as an Oberassistent for IBTZ. His career brought him many places, including Salt Lake City, Utah and Wilmington, Delaware. He enjoyed moving and getting to spend time in different places within his career. Roger started with Puritan-Bennett Corp. in Lenexa, Kansas in 1986 and stayed with them for 12 years. There he conducted research on sleep disorder appliances.
Perhaps his greatest venture began when he retired, establishing his own business of Merope, LLC with their primary specialty being in astronomical cameras. Simultaneously, he formed Gruenke & Associates as an Independent Consultant on Biomedical matters. Roger was a member of the Astronomical Society of Kansas City from 1986 until his passing. In 2002 he was awarded the Helen A. Warkoczewski Award, honoring his contributions to the astronomical focus and building of the observatory in Kansas City.
When asked what Roger was most proud of, he simply said, “My family.” Roger was blessed with six children throughout his life. He emphasized to his family how important education, acceptance and love was. He enjoyed traveling and loved astronomy and classical music.
Roger met Patricia in September of 2003, after losing his previous wife to cancer. Pat remembers Roger taking her to the Louisburg Kansas Powell Observatory, where he was a keyholder, and he showed her Saturn-- introducing her to the world of astronomy. The two were wed on December 28th, 2006. Pat and Roger enjoyed going to the Kansas City Symphony together, and volunteered as ushers for the symphony for many years. The two enjoyed traveling together, a special trip highlight being that they got to witness the total eclipse in Casper, Wyoming in 2017.
Roger’s passing will have a large impact on many lives in the Kansas City area, and all over the country. The gifts and generosity that Roger contributed to the world in his patents, camera engineering and CPAP machinery will be felt all over. On one of Roger’s final days, he was able to oversee the gifting of his milling machine to the DeSoto School District Technology Lab. The gift of this machine will be used to provide learning opportunities to future engineers for years to come.
Roger is preceded in death by his parents and his late wife, Beverly Woodhouse Gruenke. He is survived by his wife, Patricia Nelson Gruenke; children Jae Gruenke (Eric Barnhill), Elaine Gruenke (Gawain Weaver), Matthew Gruenke along with their mother Gigi Gruenke; children Ryan (Naiana) Hadenfeld, Ashlin (Zak) Hoffhines, and Maria Hernandez; 9 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; siblings Mary Ann (Pat) Senn, Mark Gruenke, Carol (Jack) Orrell, Jerry (Julie) Gruenke, and Dennis (Darlene) Gruenke; and countless family members and friends who will miss him dearly.
A visitation will be held on Sunday, October 3rd from 5-7 pm at the Amos Family Funeral Home in Shawnee, Kansas. The funeral will be held at Good Shepherd Catholic Church on Monday, October 4th. A time for visiting with the family will begin at 9:20 am, with the rosary said at 9:45 am and mass starting at 10 am. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Astronomical Society of Kansas City and to the Kansas City Symphony.
Events
Mass
Start Date: October 4, 2021, 10:00 am
End Date: October 4, 2021, 11:00 am
Good Shepherd Catholic Church
12800 W 75th Street
Shawnee , KS 66216
Phone: 913-631-7116
Visitation
Start Date: October 3, 2021, 5:00 pm
End Date: October 3, 2021, 7:00 pm
Amos Family Funeral Home
10901 Johnson Dr.
Shawnee, KS 66203
Phone: 913-631-5566
Visitation
Start Date: October 4, 2021, 9:20 am
End Date: October 4, 2021, 10:00 am
Good Shepherd Catholic Church
12800 W 75th Street
Shawnee , KS 66216
Phone: 913-631-7116
Final Resting Place
St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery
61st & Quivira Rd.
Shawnee, KS
Guestbook
Visits: 6
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