Elizabeth "Libby" Lois Grindle
September 11, 1930 - July 13, 2017

Elizabeth "Libby" Grindle, 86 of Red Oak, IA, formerly of Hastings and Malvern, IA passed away on July 13, 2017 at the Good Samaritan Society - Red Oak.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, July 17, 2017 at St. John's Lutheran Church, rural Hastings, IA. Interment will be in the Malvern Cemetery. Visitation is on Sunday, July 16, 2017, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Loess Hills Funeral Home in Malvern.

In Lieu of Flowers, Memorials in Libby's name to St. John's Lutheran Church or the Malvern Cemetery Association

Elizabeth Lois (Leu) Grindle was born on September 11, 1930 in her parent's home one mile directly west of St. John's Lutheran Church, rural Hastings, Iowa, on the north side of what is now known as Gaston Avenue. Elizabeth, affectionately known to all as Libby, was the fifth and last child born to Oscar Albert Leu and Louise Olga (Menschel) Leu. She was baptized in the Christian faith by Pastor H.P. Dahl at St. John's Lutheran Church, Hastings, Iowa on October 26, 1930. Her baptismal bible verse was from Saint Mark, Chapter 16, verse 16: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved." Her baptismal godparents were her Aunt Janie (Brown) Menschel, wife of Libby's Uncle Otto Menschel; Elizabeth "Lib" Pontow, who later married Libby's Uncle Albert Menschel, and Alfred Leu, Libby's Uncle. Libby was honored to be the godmother of nephew Lynn Turner and Lisa Wartenburg.

Libby was confirmed in the Lutheran faith at St. John's on May 20, 1945 by O.E. Weiss. Her confirmation bible verse was from Psalm 86, verse 11: "Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name." After confirmation, she remained a lifelong and active member of St. John's as she served as a Sunday School teacher and member of St. John's Ladies Aid where she held a number of officer positions. Libby was nicknamed the "nut lady" for leadership in the annual nut sales conducted by the St. John's Ladies Aid. She loved growing up in the St. John's parish with her family, cousins and friends. Her faith was strong and unwavering.

Libby began her public education at Golden Hill Country School about one mile south of St. John's on the west side of what is now known as 340th Street. She attended Golden Hill through the eighth grade and graduated from the Hastings High School in 1948; one of six in her graduating class.

During Libby's junior year of high school, she met Kenneth "Doc" Dale Grindle of rural Strahan, Iowa. After her graduation from high school, the two were united in marriage at St. John's on May 30, 1948. Their marriage was blessed with three children, Rodney Lynn, Kathy Denise, and Dennis Keith. Libby was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and a great friend to countless of others.

Doc and Libby were lifelong farmers south of Hastings until their retirement in 1996 at which time they began planning the building of their new home in Malvern, Iowa; which was completed in December, 1997. They had been married 52 years when Doc was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June of 2000. He entered his eternal rest at their home in Malvern on July 8, 2000.

Libby served on the Mills County Election Board and worked numerous elections throughout the years. She was a fan of the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Kansas City Royals.

Libby passed away on July 13, 2017 at Good Samaritan Society in Red Oak at the age of 86 years, 10 months and 2 days. In addition to her beloved husband Doc, she was also preceded in death by her parents, Oscar and Louise; siblings, Esther (Leu) Raszler and husband Leo, Robert Leu and wife Gertrude, Leona (Leu) Turner and husband Mervin, and Margaret (Leu) Mooney and husband Lowell; Doc's parents, Ellis and Ethel (Wright) Grindle; sister-in-law Helen (Grindle) Blunt and husband Robert; nephews, Lynn Turner and Gary Mooney; and niece Joann Mooney.

She is survived by her son Rodney Grindle and wife Sharlene of rural Hastings; daughter Kathy (Grindle) Blackman and husband Kenneth of Red Oak, and son Dennis Grindle of Omaha, NE; grandchildren, Stacey (Grindle) Tams and husband Benjamin and their children, Jace and Kate of Council Bluffs, IA, Chad Blackman and wife Jessica and their children, Jacob and Brooklyn of Omaha; Keri (Grindle) Thomsen and husband Travis and their children, Colton, Carson and Mia of Oakland, NE; Bret Blackman and wife Brandi and their children, Ashlyn, Nolan and Ella of Red Oak, Lane Grindle and wife Allison and their children, Josie, Payton, Harper and Luke of Menomonee Falls, WI; sister-in-law Deanna Grindle of Red Oak; nieces, nephews, and cousins; and countless friends.

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