JoAnna Grunewald

JoAnna Grunewald, 68, of Dent, died Saturday, November 19, 2011, at the Broen Memorial Home in Fergus Falls. JoAnna was the third of five children born to Chet and Bessie Shiflet in the copper mining town of Morenci, Arizona, on August 21, 1943. She was raised in the small cotton farming town of Central, Arizona, that her great-grandparents helped to settle. It was an ideal place to be raised. Pecan, Pomegranate, Fig, Apricot, Plums and Mulberry were a few of the trees that grew abundantly along the ditch banks taking water to the fields. Christmas money was earned by picking cotton for her Grandpa Shiflet. The four room school house in Central was damaged over a Christmas vacation, and JoAnna finished her schooling in Thatcher, Arizona. JoAnna married Ross Smith. Five daughters and a son were born to that union. They were later divorced. JoAnna loved to dance. She and her sisters rocked the house every day after school dancing to “American Bandstand”. She loved to do canning, knitting and crocheting, and watching old western movies with Dale. She loved nothing more than going to the thrift stores, finding a little something for the grandkids, or hanging on to something that someone would need. She really loved Buddy their pet dog. For someone so tiny, she had the biggest heart and always tried her best. She worked for many years in the food business as a waitress and a cook. Her fabulous food creations were savored by many. She was very active in the VFW Auxiliary for many years. She also worked for several years at West Central Turkey in Pelican Rapids. JoAnna and Dale met in Tuttle, North Dakota, and have made their home in Dent, Minnesota, for the last 20 years or so. Preceding her in death were her parents, Chet and Bessie, and her son, Ross Kent Smith Jr. JoAnna is survived by her husband, Dale Grunewald, of Dent; five daughters: Dori West of Tempe, AZ, Sherri Cutliffe of Phoenix, AZ, LaRee Grub of Gilbert, AZ, LaRue Smith of Mesa, AZ, and Sandra Rittlinger of Las Vegas, NV; 17 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; four sisters: Dorothy Snyder of Kingman, AZ, Lynda Shiflet of Pocatello, ID, Sandra Williams of Kingman, AZ, and Renee LaRue of Las Vegas, NV; two brothers: Joe Shiflet of Sahuarita, AZ, and John LaRue of Tucson, AZ; six stepchildren: Michelle (William) Chewning of Ft. Benning, GA, Brett (Julie) Grunewald of Fargo, ND, Chad (Kelly Pederson) Grunewald of Fargo, ND, DeLon Grunewald of Glyndon, MN, Dustin Grunewald of Barnesville, MN, and Phillip (Emily) Grunewaldl of Salinas, CA; seven grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, November 23, 2011, at the Olson Funeral Home Chapel in Fergus Falls, with visitation one hour prior to the service. Olson Funeral Home, Fergus Falls is in charge of arrangements.