On Tuesday, July 23, 2024, the Lord called Lila Grawin, 97, of Tomah, WI, formerly of Kendall, Wis., to her heavenly home.
Lila was born on Oct. 22, 1926, to Phillip and Ella (Pergande) Buchholz on the family farm in Kinney Valley, rural Wilton. She attended Kinney Valley Country School through the eighth grade and graduated from Wilton High School in 1944.
Lila was a big help to her dad, helping with the chores on the farm from fieldwork, feeding and caring for the chickens, putting up the harvest, and gathering and milking the cows. It was at one of those times she was herding the cows down the road that she met her future husband, Merlin Grawin, who drove a milk truck that picked up canned milk for the Hofmeister Creamery. Merlin and Lila married in 1949, living on the family farm until they moved to Kendall in 1951. Merlin went to work for the Chicago Northwestern Railroad, becoming an engineer, while Lila was a homemaker. They raised 11 children, Larry, Richard, David, Linda, Steven, Darrell, Tamela, John, Betty, Carolyn and Ginny.
Lila not only cared for the children but tended a large garden, canning produce and fruit; did laundry with a wringer washer, drying on multiple clotheslines and clothes racks; and ironing, sewing, patching, making quilts, housework, cooking and baking. It was a well-known fact, “the cookie jar was never empty.”
In 1979, Merlin decided to move Lila and the youngest girls to Altoona, Wis., to be close to the railyard he worked out of and could be home with his family. Lila loved being with Merlin every day, enjoying life’s simple pleasures, which ended too soon in 1983, when the Lord called Merlin home at the age of 60.
When the youngest girl finished college up north, Lila moved to Tomah, Wis., in 1994, to be close to her family. Lila was a faithful Lutheran, being a member of several churches: St. Matthew’s on South Ridge in rural Ontario, St. John’s in Kendall, St. Mark’s in Eau Claire and St. Paul’s in Tomah. She held offices in various church groups, such as Ladies Aid, Mission Circle and Kro Knitters. Lila enjoyed raising her family and never complained about the work involved. Even though she never drove, her family, cousins and friends made sure she enjoyed life. Some of her travels included trips throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, Tennessee, New York state, New Hampshire, and all the New England states, Alaska, Hawaii, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, England (London), Holland and Belgium.
Lila lived in her own home until the age of 94, when she decided to move to an assisted living, where someone else could do the cleaning and cooking. Her spare time was spent crocheting, embroidering, reading, word search, fixing puzzles, playing cards, activity room projects, and she enjoyed watching Jeopardy, the Badgers, the Brewers and the Packers. Lila said she has been blessed with a loving family, relatives and friends. Her family says they have been blessed with a wonderful and loving mother.
She is survived by her children, Richard (Linda) Grawin of Londonderry, N.H., David Grawin of Tomah, Wis., Linda (Alan) Scott of Wonewoc, Wis., Steve Grawin of Minocqua, Wis., Darrell Grawin of Madison, Wis., Tamela (Dan) Raiten of Plover, Wis., John Grawin of Elroy, Wis., Betty (Chris) Peterson of Cashton, Wis., Carolyn (Ed) John of Dousman, Wis., and Ginny (Art) Belt of Germantown Hills, Ill.; her grandchildren, Andrew Scott, Tanya Scott, Emily (Mike) Barron, Ryan (Jen) Grawin, Eric (Amy) Peterson, Jacob Peterson, Sarah Peterson, Rachael Peterson, Helen (Issac) Young, Jennifer John and Melissa John; her great-grandchildren, Evan and Nicholas Grawin and Christian Peterson; and a sister and brother-in-law, Donna and Sherman Swanson of New Berlin.
Lila was preceded in death by her parents, Phillip and Ella Buchholz, and her infant Buchholz siblings; her husband, Merlin Grawin; her son, Larry Grawin; her sister and brother-in-law, Pearl and Gerald Kaus; her sister-in-law and husband, Evelyn and Martin Liefke; her sister-in-law and husband, Mildred and Glenn Schultz; her brother-in-law and wife, Harvey and Aletha Grawin; and many cousins, nephews and nieces.
A funeral service was Tuesday, July 30, at St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church of Kendall, with Rev. Zachary Meier and Rev. Robert Gerke officiating. Relatives and friends were invited to visitation at the church on Tuesday. The burial will be in the South Ridge Cemetery in rural Ontario, Wis.
The Smith-Nelson Funeral Home of Kendall is assisting with the arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to www.sonnenburgfamilyfh.com. The family requests memorials may be given to the St. Paul’s Ev. Lutheran Church and School of Tomah, Wis., in Lila’s name.
The family would like to thank the staff and her resident friends at the Touch of Home Assisted Living, Tomah Health Palliative Care, St. Croix Hospice and the Sonnenburg Funeral Home for all the help and care they gave our mother. Special thanks to those who visited, sent cards and wrote letters — you made her day.
