Lois May Wirth

Lois May Wirth, 85 died Friday, March 1, 2019 at the Pioneer Memorial Nursing Home, Viborg.  Funeral services will be at 11:00 am Saturday, March 9, 2019 at Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Viborg.  Visitation with family present will be from 5-7pm Friday at the Hofmeister Jones Funeral Home, Viborg with a Prayer Service at 7:00pm.

Lois May Gruntman was born April 12, 1933 in Stewardson, Illinois to parents Roy William and Anna Pauline Ada (Tieman) Gruntman, the fourth daughter joining Lucille, June and Elaine.  May was baptized on May 21, 1933 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Stewardson, Illinois. In March of 1935 brother Ray was born. In October of 1935 May’s father was killed in an accident and he was buried on his 29 th birthday.  May does not remember her Dad because she was so young when he was killed.  May attended Trinity Lutheran School. In February of 1945 May’s Mother moved her family to Centerville, SD.  They joined First English Lutheran Church. May and Ray were enrolled in the Centerville Public School. May graduated from 8 th grade in May of 1946 and was confirmed at First English Lutheran Church on April 14, 1946.  After school May worked for many families taking care of children and helping with housework.  May met Art at the Roller Skating Rink in Viborg and May and Art were engaged on April 12, 1952.  May worked at Fantel’ s and Bell Telephone Company in Sioux Falls from 1952-1954.  On June 27, 1954 Art and May were united in marriage at First English Lutheran Church.  They farmed in the Viborg and Hurley areas where they raised their five children. May worked as a nursing assistant at Pioneer Memorial Hospital from 1968-1973.  She also worked from 1983 to June 1990 as the baker at Sunset Manor in Irene. She also worked as a baker and cafeteria manager and second cook at Pioneer Memorial Hospital.  She volunteered for Meals On Wheels and the Pioneer Memorial Gift Shop.  In 1999 she was awarded the Community of the Year Volunteer Award. She became the Pioneer Memorial courier on May 7, 2003 until her retirement in 2013.  May enjoyed baking, writing letters, playing cards, working puzzles, and having friends in for tea. She loved God, her church, family and friends.

She is survived by her husband Art of 64 years; 3 sons, Mike (Lois Ann), Greg, Matt (Sharon), all of Viborg; 2 daughters, Shelley Wray, Viborg and Cindy (James) Buss, Hartford; 17 grandchildren, Amanda Dressler, Adam (Jessica) Wirth, Sr, Katie (Richie) Soto, Megan (Dustin) Knudson, Chris (Ed Palmieri) Schriever, Rachel (Lucas) Penning, Tiffany (Devin ) Bloom, Kyle Jones, Allison DiLeo, Jessica (Dustin) Haase, Lauren Buss, Adrian Buss, Alex Buss, Penny (Kyle) Burns, David Kelley, Stephen Wirth, and Annie May Wirth; 23 great grandchildren and #24 due in April, Roy, Christopher, Justin, Adam Jr, James, Ryker, Angel, Hailey May, Gavin, Helen, Josie, Michael, Ella, Julia, Natalie, Paige, Neil, Maggie May, Violet, Walter, Harper, and Marshall; a sister Lucille Malmquist, Braham, MN; a brother Ray Gruntman, St. Louis, MO; Brothers and Sisters in law Robert Wirth Viborg, Ralph and Marilyn Wirth,  Eldon & Cheryl Wirth, of Hurley, Kathy & Chuck Gruber, Beloit, WI, many nieces, nephews, cousins and Aunt Freida Clayton, Lewiston, ID.

She was preceded in death by her parents Roy Gruntman, Pauline and Roy Bendert, sisters June Hult and Elaine Wathier, sons-in-law Mike Jones and Tom Wray, brothers-in-law Jake Morrison, Seb Wathier, Roy Malmquist, Wallace Hult, sister in law Joyce Gruntman and niece Donna Morrison,  In laws, Henry & Anna Wirth, Sister & Brother in law Bernice & Edwin Knudson.