Janice Gruber

Celebration of Life Services: Will be held on Saturday, March 17, 2018, at 11:00 a.m. at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle with burial in the Fontanelle Cemetery. A luncheon will be held at the church following the committal services at the cemetery. Pastor Steven Broers will officiate the service.  

Open Visitation: Will be held on Friday, March 16th, at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle from 2:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 

Family Visitation: The family will greet friends on Friday evening at the Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fontanelle from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. 

Memorials: Memorials may be made to the Good Samaritan Society, Kindred Hospice or the Fontanelle Fire and Rescue Squad. 

Janice Eileen Gruber was born October 4, 1936, in Adair County, Iowa, the daughter of Glen and Fern (Sivadge) McCartney. She passed away on Wednesday, March 14, 2018, at the Good Samaritan Society in Fontanelle, Iowa, at the age of 81.

Janice graduated from Fontanelle High School in 1954, where she was a high school cheerleader. On August 14, 1955, she was united in marriage to her high school sweetheart, Ralph Gruber, in the United Methodist Church in Fontanelle. To this union three daughters were born: Debbie, Denise and Rita. They lived in Fontanelle their entire lives. Janice and Ralph made their home on Main Street in Fontanelle for over 60 years.

Janice had worked for Don Carlos Law Office, Fontanelle Observer, Emmanuel Lutheran Church as custodian and later on as church secretary and she taught piano lessons for over 20 years. She loved music, playing the piano, walking, cats, knitting, watching old movies, crossword puzzles, playing cards and reading. She also loved watching “I Love Lucy” and passed down that tradition to her daughters and granddaughters. She was a member of the Emmanuel Lutheran Church, the adult choir and church bell choir, was involved in Cumberland Rose Players, Fontanelle Alumni Banquet Committees, Adair County History Book Committee, and the Bridgewater-Fontanelle School History Book Committee.

She was preceded in death by her parents and sisters, Patricia and Janet.

She is survived by her husband, Ralph Gruber of Fontanelle; three daughters, Debbie (Jon) Engelstad of Ankeny, Denise (Jeff) Landt of Garwin and Rita (Denny) Rosenberg of Grimes; 11 grandchildren; 18 great grandchildren; other relatives and friends.