William "Bill" Grote

William "Bill" Grote, 78, former mayor of Harrison, rancher in this area for 41 years, and prominent in community activities, died unexpectedly the morning of January 21.

The family moved to Sioux County December 1, 1928, purchasing a ranch three miles north of Harrison. In 1946 Mr. and Mrs. Grote moved to Harrison, but he continued his ranching until the time of his death.

Throughout the years as a member of the Lutheran Church, he served in many offices on the church council and was one of the leaders in building the present Lutheran Church in Harrison. He served as a director of the Federal Land Bank Association for 21 years. He was elected to the Harrison Village Board for a number of years, part of the time serving as chairman or mayor. He was a member of the Harrison Men's Community Club and participated in many community affairs including active support of the Sandhills Cattle Association.

He was born at Lincoln, Neb., January 1, 1892, to Charles and Minnie Grote. He was baptized in the Lutheran faith and confirmed in St. John's Lutheran Church at Wilcox, Neb., where the family moved in 1904. He was engaged in farming there until 1928. On February 17, 1916, he was married to Emma Heidemann in St. John's Church in Wilcox.

Survivors include his wife Emma; two sons Melvin and Ronald, and three daughters, Mrs. Albert (Alice) Rabe, Mrs. J. B. (Elaine) Rabe and Mrs. Morris (Alda) Engebretsen, all of Harrison; twenty grandchildren and one great grandchild. A son, Earl, preceded him in death in 1965. Also surviving are four brothers, Fred of Holdrege, Neb., Henry of Klamath Falls, Ore., Edward of Beatrice, Neb., and John of Lingle, Wyo., three sisters, Martha Holben of Wilcox, Neb., Edith Orth of Yucaipa, Calif., and Minnie Post of Richmond, Calif. His parents, two brothers and one sister also died previously.

Funeral services were held Saturday, Jan. 24, at 10:30 a.m. in Redeemer Lutheran Church with Pastor Thomas Jacobson officiating. Music was provided by Mrs. Jacobson as organist and Mrs. Nelson Engebretsen and Mrs. David Ostergaard who sang "My Course Is Run" and "Nearer My God To Thee." Burial was in the Harrison Cemetery. Pallbearers were Nelson Engebretsen, Jerry Engebretsen, Vern Holtz, Chuck Smith, Dick Herren, and John Bruegger. Honorary pallbearers were Clarence Schnurr, Bill Coffee, Tress Powell, Martin Koch, Carl Engebretsen, Paul Holtz, Harry Wasserburger and E. E. Whiteaker.

Relatives coming to Harrison for the funeral were a granddaughter, Mrs. Glen Peterson and Mr. Peterson from Hugoton, Kan.; Martha Holben, Wilcox, Neb.; Mrs. Noah Orth, Yucaipa, Calif.; Mrs. D. D. Post, Richmand, Calif.; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Grote, Beatrice, Neb.; Mr. and Mrs. John Grote, Carol and Laura Stone, Lingle, Wyo.; Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Einspahr, Twin Falls, Idaho; August Heidemann, Mrs. Elsie Heidemann, Bernard Heidemann, Paul, Steve, Karen, and Ryan Heidemann, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Heidemann and Susan, Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Heidemann, Merlyn Heidemann, Mr. and Mrs. Pat Lacy, Mrs. Ruth Heidemann and Janet Betts, Douglas Onigkeit and Patsy Heidemann, all of Kimball, Neb.; Henry Heidemann, Theo. Heidemann, Ernest Schepler, William Gellerman, Clara Schubert, Lenora Bergstrom, all of Wilcox, Neb.; Mr. and Mrs. James Johnson, Holdrege, Neb.; Mr. and Mrs. Ed King, Cheyenne, Wyo.; Mr. and Mrs. Robert Grote, Riverton, Wyo.; Mr. and Mrs. Alvin Jeujahr, Grand Island, Neb.; Mr. and Mrs. Millard Anderson and Barbara, Burwell, Neb.; Mr. and Mrs. Dale Einspahr, Arapahoe, Neb.; Mr. and Mrs. Herman Hubert, Upland, Neb.; Mr. and Mrs. Gardner Notts, Dix, Neb.; Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Dirks, Kearney, Neb.; Mrs. Nioma Johnson, Minden, Neb.; Rudolph Gellerman, Axtell, Neb.; Mr. and Mrs. August Axen, close friends of the family, Buhl, Idaho.

This gravestone photo was found on nebraskagravestones.org.

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