Virginia Grutle

Virginia “Gin” Opal Grutle, 95, a long-time resident of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, died Tuesday, August 23, 2011, at her home under the care of her family and Lakeland Hospice. She was born December 1, 1915, in Fargo, North Dakota, the daughter of Ernst Thomas and Eva Jane (Harrison) Hicks. Virginia was orphaned at nine months, and raised by her loving grandparents, Ole and Etena (Thompson) Harrison, in Lisbon, North Dakota. She attended school in Lisbon, graduating from Lisbon High School in 1933. After one year, at NDSU in Fargo, Virginia completed her education at the College of Great Falls, Montana, where she received a degree in Education. She began her teaching career in a rural one-room schoolhouse near Poplar River, MT, where she would arrive early each morning to light the wood-burning stove before the students arrived. She then taught for a time in Venlo, ND and at other rural schools near Lisbon. On April 16, 1939, she married her college sweetheart, Reinert “Rye” Grutle, in Breckenridge, Minnesota. They briefly resided in Wahpeton, ND, before venturing to Washington, DC, where Reinert supervised construction of Liberty Ships and Virginia was a proofreader for U.S. News and World Report magazine. During World War II, she riveted airplane wings for the war effort while Rye served with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific. Following the war, they returned to the midwest, where Virginia became a full-time homemaker and loving mother to their only daughter, Gail. The couple resided in the city of Fergus Falls since 1948, where Rye was employed by Ottertail Power Company. Virginia was a long time member of First Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls, Eastern Star, the League of Women Voters, active in several bridge clubs, and volunteered as a Blue Bird and Camp Fire Girls Leader. She was also costume creator for the Fergus Falls Civic Theater productions of the Christmas musical “Amahl”, designing the elaborate robes and turbans for the three Wise Men. In her free time, Virginia enjoyed sewing and tailoring clothes, flower gardening, reading, cooking and baking, visiting her daughter and family in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and traveling with her husband. She spent many hours working on family histories, doing genealogy research in Canada and the US, and has published several family history manuscripts. Time spent with family was always a priority in her life, including her daily phone conversations with her daughter, Gail. For many years, she and Reinert spent a week nearly every month with their grandson, Ryan. Preceding her in death were her husband of 62 years, Reinert O M “Rye” Grutle, who died July 3, 2001, and her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and three cousins. Survivors include her daughter, Gail Grutle Boughn and son-in-law, Charles Boughn of Minnetonka, MN; a grandson, Ryan “Rye” Lynn Boughn of Roseville, MN; beloved nieces Patricia (Hurdelbrink) Honch and Mary Jane (Hurdelbrink) Hoffman; and dear cousins Gloria (Harrison) Chaves, Mike Mykland, Donna Marie (Barkuloo) Page, Kaye (Boyle) Leskela, and Raymond Boyle. Visitation: One hour prior to the service at the funeral home Memorial Service: Sunday, September 11, 2011, at Olson Funeral Home in Fergus Falls, Minnesota  Clergy: Reverend Saul Stensvaag  Interment: At a later date in Oak Grove Cemetery of Fergus Falls