Bernadine A. "Grambo" Gietzen, 88
Bernadine Annette Gietzen, 88, of Kalispell, peacefully and joyfully "went home to Jesus" on Oct. 3, 2004. She died of congestive heart failure at her home.
Bernie was born Feb. 7, 1916, in Grand Rapids, Mich., to James Ross and Helen Cecelia (Weekes) Bignell. She was raised and educated in Grand Rapids, completing high school at "Davis Tech."
On March 4, 1933, in South Bend, Ind., she married Robert Frederick Gietzen, her high school sweetheart, and they resided in Grand Rapids for the first 10 years of their marriage. They celebrated 57 years together until his passing in 1990, in Montana.
In the early 1940s, Bernie and Bob and their four older children moved to San Diego, Calif., to work in the defense industry during the war and beyond. There they raised 11 children. After this, Bernie also provided child care for relatives and others to supplement the family income and help build the family cabin at Harrison Park in Julian, Calif.
They retired to Kalispell in the mid-1980s and enjoyed the incredible beauty of the Flathead Valley and Glacier National Park.
Bernie came from a talented musical family, singing and playing piano, pipe organ and accordion. She was an accomplished seamstress, imaginative storyteller, and laughed harder than she cried.
Bernie's greatest joys were raising healthy children, playing pipe organ at church, camping, "going anywhere in the car" and in her later years, visits from her many cherished children and grandchildren.
She leaves behind a legacy of deep faith in the Lord, love for her family and faithful service to others. She faithfully attended St. Matthew's Catholic Church in Kalispell until her health failed.
Bernie was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her son, Robert James Gietzen; her brothers, Elwood, Bruce and Thomas Bignell; and her sisters, Mary Mauris, Helen Shanahan and Jean McComish.
She is survived by her sons, Thomas and Michael Gietzen of San Diego, Calif., and Bruce Gietzen of Kalispell, James Gietzen of Bend, Ore., and their families; daughters, Nancy Clegg of Bigfork, Jeanie Deyling of Lakeside, Calif., Kay Thomas, Maureen Innis, and Mary Hermann, all of Kalispell, and Terry Janke of Spokane, and their families; 32 grandchildren and 47 great-grandchildren; her brother, Jim Bignell and family of Gunnison, Colo.; numerous nieces, nephews, beloved in-laws and special friends, including Lynn von Gietzen of San Diego, Howard and Vonnie Gietzen and family of Grand Rapids, Mich., and Gracie Haines of Kalispell.
Celebration of life service will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16, at St. Matthew's Catholic Church in Kalispell, with burial at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery following at 11:30 a.m. Reception afterwards at the Doran Center in the basement of St. Matthew's.
The family suggests any memorial contributions be sent to Home Options/Hospice, 175 Commons Loop, Suite 100, Kalispell, MT 59901.
Arrangements are under the direction of Buffalo Hill Funeral Home, and cremation has taken place.