Dorothy Gries

Dorothy Gries, age 90, of Charter Oak, passed away on Friday, July 8, 2022, at Gracewell in Denison. Funeral services will be at 10:30 AM on Thursday, July 14, 2022, at St. John Lutheran Church in Charter Oak with interment in St. Clair Cemetery at Ute. Visitation will be from 5 PM to 7 PM, with a Prayer Service at 7 PM, on Wednesday, July 13, 2022, at Huebner Funeral Home in Charter Oak.

Dorothy Ann, daughter of Arthur and Edna (Maack) Naab, was born July 29, 1931, at Charter Oak, Iowa. On September 13, 1931, she was baptized at the Zion Lutheran parsonage in Denison. Dorothy grew up in Charter Oak and attended high school there.

On September 8, 1950, Dorothy was united in marriage with Donald Gries at the First Christian Church in Onawa. Shortly thereafter, Don was called to the U.S. Army and served in Okinawa. During his absence, Dorothy lived with her parents in Charter Oak. After Don returned, the couple made their home in Storm Lake where Don finished college. During this time, Dorothy was confirmed on January 25, 1953, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Storm Lake.

In 1954, the family moved to Holly Springs and then to Ute where Don taught and coached before becoming Principal and then Superintendent at Charter Oak-Ute Schools. In 1968, Dorothy and Don moved into a new home in Charter Oak with their four children. Dorothy enjoyed hosting Christmas cookie exchanges with the teachers' wives from school. She won numerous cookie contests in Charter Oak.

Dorothy was a loving and active wife and mother. She helped Don campaign when he ran for State Representative in the Iowa Legislature and enjoyed clerking for him for sessions during his three terms. Dorothy was a member and faithful church attender at St. John's Lutheran Church in Charter Oak. She enjoyed watching sports on television and in person, baking, crossword puzzles, and watching her children and grandchildren at their school activities. Dorothy was good at picking the winners for the football contests in the Mapleton and Denison newspapers.

On Friday, July 8, 2022, Dorothy passed away at Gracewell-Eventide Lutheran Home in Denison at the age of 90 years, 11 months and 9 days.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, husband of 60 years Donald Gries, daughter Charlene Gries, sisters-in-law Helen Naab and Martha Gries, a niece Patti Naab, and two nephews George Gries and Thomas Gries.

She is survived by three children: Mark (Melody) Gries of Myerstown, Pennsylvania; Karen McCord of Denison; Kris Anderson of Elk Point, South Dakota; four grandchildren: Emily (Rian) Merrigan of Vermillion, SD; Audrey (Jamie) Dean of Sergeant Bluff; Casey (Tara) Gries of Fort Collins, CO; Christy (Austin) Holgard of Bismark, ND; 13 great-grandchildren: Rory, Reece, Aylah, Monroe, Braylon, Jaxon, Eloise, Waverly, Helen, Rose, George, John and Margaret; a brother Rolan Naab of Lake View; a brother-in-law Terry Gries of San Angelo, TX; two nieces Sheryl (Bruce) Sloan of Savannah, GA, and Toni (Ron) Johnson of Washington, and a nephew Brian Gries of Houston, TX.