John ""Jack"" Groskreutz

John “Jack” H. Groskreutz, age 92, of Litchfield, MN, died Thursday, January 1, 2009 at the Emmanuel Nursing Home, in Litchfield, MN. Funeral Services will be held on Monday, January 5, 2009 at 11:00 AM at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Litchfield, MN with Pastor Paul Lindhorst officiating. Visitation will be on Sunday from 4:00 - 7:00 PM at the Johnson-Hagglund Funeral Home in Litchfield. Military Honors will be provided by the Litchfield Military Honor Guard. Interment will be held in Ripley Cemetery, Litchfield, MN. In lieu of flowers memorials are preferred to the St. Paul’s Lutheran Church Building Fund. John “Jack” Herman Groskreutz was born on March 20, 1916 in Forest City Township, Meeker County, MN to Herman and Mary (Rosenow) Groskreutz. He was confirmed at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church by Pastor Plocher, on July 12, 1931. John grew up in Meeker County, where he worked on the family farm and also helped other local farmers. He worked at the Litchfield Feed House until entering the Army in 1943, where he served as a cook during WWII. After being discharged from the Army in 1946, he returned to work at the Litchfield Feed House. On June 17, 1950, John was united in marriage to Fern Yerks at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Kimball, MN. In 1950 he began working for the City of Litchfield until his retirement in 1981. John was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, and a life member of the Admiral Benson V.F.W. Post #2818 and the Nelsan-Horton American Legion Post #104. John enjoyed fishing, hunting, polka dancing and traveling. He spent many summers in Brainerd and traveled south during the winter. He traveled to 48 states in the US and much of Canada. In 2004, he was able to take a bus trip to the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. with other Meeker County Veterans. John is survived by his wife Fern of Litchfield; son Gary (and Judine) of Little Falls; and brother Louis (and Margaret) Groskreutz of Delano, MN. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and great great nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Herman and Mary; sisters Florence Wendroth and Lillian Eckhoff and brothers Raymond Groskreutz Sr. and Rudolph Groskreutz.