Edith Grinley, 93, Albert Lea

Published 12:00 am Sunday, July 24, 2005

Edith Irene (Moe) Grinley died Tuesday, July 19, 2005, in Albert Lea. She was 93.

Edith was born May 26, 1912, in Emmons and grew up in a family of hardworking first generation Norwegian immigrants. Her parents were Isaac and Emma (Nesby) Moe. She graduated from high school in Kenyon where she met her future husband, Anton K. (“Tony”) Grinley.

In the 1930s, she attended St. Cloud Teachers College and taught in one-room country schools, receiving room and board from the parents of her students. Soon after Edith and Tony were married in 1940, he entered military service in World War II. This led to lengthy separations during which Edith worked at the Federal Reserve Bank in St. Paul. On occasion she took long, crowded train trips to Missouri and Texas to join Tony during his military flight training.

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In 1952, Edith and Tony made Albert Lea their home, where family, church and friends filled their lives. She was a 53-year member of First Lutheran Church, a member of Mission Circle 26 and taught vacation Bible school. She was a Cub Scout den mother. She enjoyed visiting with relatives, fishing and sightseeing on family vacations, playing cards with her friends and traveling to her ancestral home in Norway.

After Tony’s retirement as county court judge, Tony and Edith spent many happy winters in Lake Havasu City, Ariz. Edith, in her last years, lived in the Thorne Crest Retirement community.

Edith had a wonderful way of making her family feel her love, and her friends feel at home.

Edith was preceded in death by her beloved husband Tony and her four brothers and sisters.

She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Kristi (Tukua) Grinley of Delano, grandson, Evan R. Grinley, and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 26, at Bonnerup Funeral Service in Albert Lea.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Wednesday, July 27, in the chapel of First Lutheran Church in Albert Lea. Interment will be at Oaklawn Cemetery in Emmons.

Memorials are preferred to First Lutheran Church of Albert Lea.