Winifred Marion Grunke

Winifred Marion Grunke, 82, Overland Park, Kansas, passed away Saturday, March 7, 2009.

Winifred was born June 2, 1926 in Vermillion, South Dakota to Frederick and Winifred Wagner. She attended the University of Minnesota and graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor's Degree in theater and speech. Win met James Grunke in the theater in 1947, and were married shortly thereafter, and were active in the theater their entire lives. They were instrumental in founding the St. Croix Valley Arts Guild Community Theater in Hudson, Wisconsin. She was also a successful business person. Win was one of the first female real estate brokers in western Wisconsin and won many awards for her achievements. In 1984 Win and James retired to Chapel Hill, North Carolina until she moved to the Kansas City area to be near family in 2002.

James preceded Win in death in 1996. She is survived by two daughters, Karen James (Matthew M. Clark) St. Paul, Minnesota, Gayle Ashworth and husband William, Prairie Village, Kansas; a son James Grunke and wife Roxanne, San Jose, California; a sister, Elizabeth Jones and husband Bruce, Walnut Creek, California; five grandchildren, two step-grandchildren, and one great grandchild.

Memorial Services

Memorial Service will be 1:00 p.m., Wednesday, March 11, 2009 at the Lamar Court Assisted Living, 11909 Lamar Avenue, Overland Park, Kansas 66209.