Obituaries

Paul Grote, age 84 of Mt. Carmel, died Thursday, October 11, 2012 at St. Anthony Regional Hospital in Carroll, Iowa surrounded by his family.
Mass of the Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 17, 2012 at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Mt. Carmel, IA. The Celebrant will be Fr. Gary Snyder. Music will be by Denise Nieland, organist and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Choir. Lectors for the funeral mass will be Paul’s grandchildren: Ryan Gehling and Melanie Daniel. Gift Bearers will be Paul’s granddaughters; Holly Venteicher, Melanie Daniel, and Lindsey Gehling. Eucharistic Ministers will be Paul’s stepson, Joe Glass, his wife Jane, and a nephew Gene Riesberg. Casket Bearers will be Paul’s grandsons, Jason Gehling, Ryan Gehling, Michael Sadwith, Jamie Venteicher, Rusty Daniel, and Paul’s godson, Steve Rosener. Honorary Casket Bearers will be his step-grandchildren. Burial will be at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Carroll with military honors conducted by the Breda American Legion. Taps will be played by his godson, Mike Vonnahme. The Carroll 4th Degree Knights of Columbus will form an honor guard at the funeral mass.
Friends may call at the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll after 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday where there will be a rosary at 4 p.m. by the Carroll 4th Degree Knights of Columbus followed by a Christian Wake Service at 7 p.m.
Memorials may be left at the funeral home or the church for the Carroll County Relay for Life. Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Sharp Funeral Home in Carroll and online condolences may be left for Paul’s family at www.sharpfuneral.com.
Paul was born on September 24, 1928 in Carroll, Iowa to Herman and Colette (Schettler) Grote. He grew up in the Mt. Carmel community, attended Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School, graduated from Carroll High School in 1946 and then attended auctioneering school.
Paul married Luella Bedford on November 14, 1950, at St. Joseph’s Church in Carroll. They had two daughters, Patricia and Karen. He was drafted during the Korean War and served with the U.S. Army of Occupation in Germany until November 1952. In 1955 the family moved to a farm east of Carroll where he started his farming career after having worked for a few years as a truck driver. Luella passed away on November 4, 1956, after giving birth to a stillborn son. He continued to farm with the help of his siblings and in 1958 moved to a farm northwest of Mt. Carmel, and his mother cared for his two daughters. Throughout his lifetime he farmed and conducted many successful farm and real estate auctions. He was also a co-owner of the Farmers Sale Company of Carroll for many years. On August 10, 1970, he married Irma Glass, a widow with four sons. They made their home on the Grote Farm northeast of Mt. Carmel.
Paul was an active member of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish where he was a lector, rosary leader and choir member. He also was Parish Lay Director for 14 years, an honorary life member of the Knights of Columbus, an honorary life member of the 4th Degree Assembly, and a 50+ year member of the Post # 607 of the Breda American Legion. He also served as trustee of Drainage District # 23 for 24 years.
Paul loved spending time with his family. He enjoyed music, fishing, and collecting stamps and coins. He had a passion for gardening, having sold produce for many years at the Carroll Farmer’s Market.
He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Irma Grote of Mt. Carmel, daughters, Patricia (Dennis) Gehling of Carroll and Karen (John) Sadwith of Denver, CO; stepsons, Marvin Glass of Mt. Carmel, Joe (Jane) Glass of Cedar Rapids, Richard (Terri) Glass of Arcadia and Paul (Denise) Glass of Carroll, 6 grandchildren, 13 step-grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, 9 step-great-grandchildren. Also surviving are brothers and sisters, Norbert Grote of Glidden, Leonard (Joyce) Grote of Minooka, IL, Jack (Doreen) Grote of Carroll, James (Mary Ann) Grote of Cave Creek, AZ, Bill (Nancy) Grote of Withee, WI, and Ted (Peggy) Grote of Gibson City, IL, Lorraine (Lyle) Vonnahme of Carroll, Jeanette (John) Rosener of South Sioux, NE, Mary (Leonard) Sailer of Manning, Alice (John) Hamilton of Jefferson and Judy (Duane) Olberding of Waukon; his in-laws, Elmer (Kathy) Bedford of Carroll; Tony (Rose) Riesberg of Carroll, Angie Riesberg of Omaha, and Lillian Ferneding of Carroll; as well as many nieces and nephews.
Paul was preceded in death by his first wife Luella and infant son Gerard in 1956; his parents, brother Ralph; grandson Nicholas Gehling; great-granddaughter Samantha Gehling; and stepchildren Thomas and Janet Glass.