Clement J. Gronewold

Lake Crystal Mortuary 648 S. Main Street Lake Crystal, MN 56055 (507) 726-6161 Clement J. Gronewold, age 92, of Madelia and formerly of Lake Crystal, died Saturday, July 18, 2015 at his home. Funeral Service will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, July 24, 2015 at Zion Lutheran Church, Lake Crystal. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m., Thursday at Lake Crystal Mortuary and will continue one hour before service at the church on Friday. Interment will be in Ft. Snelling National Cemetery, Minneapolis. Memorials preferred to the John Roth American Legion Post 294 or an organization of the donor's choice. Clement was born January 15, 1923 to George and Cora (Halvorson) Gronewold in Madelia. He graduated from Madelia High School in 1940. He attended the University of Minnesota for a degree in engineering. He enlisted in the Army Air Corp during World War II. He served from 1942-46 with the 440th Fighter Bomber Wing as an Air Force flight instructor teaching cadets to fly. He then served in the Air Force Reserve until 1964. He was united in marriage to Lorraine E. Nelson on November 21, 1944 at Madelia. They lived in Sherman, Texas while Clem was in the service. In 1945 they returned to Lewisville and then moved to Lake Crystal in 1956. Clem farmed for many years and was employed by the US Postal Service as a rural mail carrier for 20 years. Clem was a charter member of the Lewisville American Legion, member of Zion Lutheran Church, John Roth American Legion Post 294, and the Experimental Aeronautical Aviation Society. He enjoyed reading, golfing, fishing trips, and wintering in Texas and Arizona. Clem built his own plane and enjoyed flying. Clem is survived by his three children, Stephen (Jaime) Gronewold of Minneapolis, Cindy Kortuem of North Mankato, and Candy Lee of Plymouth; three grandchildren, Steffanie (Matthew) Musich of Minneapolis, Christina Lee of Tampa, FL, and Dru Gronewold-Pedraza of Minneapolis; great-grandchild, Optimus Musich; three siblings, Phillip (Amelia) Gronewold of Lewisville, Gerald Gronewold of Lewisville, and Kay (Dick) Gillespie of Madelia; sister-in-law, Marilyn Arduser of Madelia; brother-in-law, David (Marjorie) Nelson of Harrisburg, PA; nieces, nephews, and extended family. Clem was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Lorraine on January 2, 2013; two sons-in-law, John Williams and Pat Kortuem.