This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/zk.2ADI/1939.1 Message Board Post: Funeral Card - To Those I Love And Those Who Love Me When I am gone, release me, let me go. I have so much to see and do. You must not tie yourself to me with tears. Be happy that we had so many years. I gave you my love, you cannot guess How much you gave to me in happiness. I thank you for the love you each have shown. But now it's time I traveled on alone. So grieve awhile for me, if grieve you must. Then let your grief be comforted by trust. It's only for awhile that we must part. So bless the memories within your heart. I won't be far away for life goes on; So if you need me, call and I will come. Though you can't see or touch me, I'll be there. And if you listen with your heart you'll hear All my love around you soft and clear. And then, when you must come this way alone, I'll greet you with a smile and "Welcome Home." In Loving Memory of THOMAS P. GROTE Born - March 17, 1927 - Neola, Iowa Died -July 28, 2005- Portsmouth, Iowa WAKE SERVICE Friday, July 29, 2005 at 7:00 PM St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima - Portsmouth, Iowa MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL Monday, August 1,2005 at 10:30AM St. Mary Our Lady of Fatima - Portsmouth, Iowa CELEBRANT SOLOIST Rev.John Dorton Tami Meiners ACCOMPANIST BUGLER VOCALISTS Deb Muell Robert Grote St. Mary's Choir HONORARY CASKET BEARERS Brian Gaul Rodney Arkfeld Ryan Arkfeld Randy Arkfeld Nick Arkfeld Eric Theulen Troy Perry Jason McGinty Zach McGinty Christopher Parsons Kyle Parsons Sean Pinto Brendan Pinto Michael Carter INTERMENT St. Mary Cemetery - Portsmouth, Iowa An invitation is extended to the relatives and friends to meet with the family in the St. Mary's Fellowship hall at the close of the committal service. Thomas P. Grote Thomas Patrick Grote, the son of William and Julia Lustgraaf Grote, was born on March 17, 1927 and was one of seven children. He was baptized and made his first confession and received his first communion at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Neola, Iowa. The family moved from the farm near Neola to a farm east of Portsmouth in 1935. He was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Portsmouth where he received the sacrament of Confirmation. He graduated from the eighth grade and then went to St. Mary's High School for three years and was accepted in his senior year to Creighton Prep High School in Omaha, Nebraska graduating in June 1945. Tom was drafted into the United States Navy on January 18, 1946 where he worked in Personnel at Arlington, Virginia. After an honorable discharge in 1946 he worked on the farm as well as doing carpentry work. On January 30, 1950 he was united in marriage to Theresa Kramer. To this union eleven children were born. They lived in the Dunlap area for two years then moved to their current home on a farm near Portsmouth and have remained there since 1952. Thomas was a Past Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, served on the St. Mary's Parish Council for three terms, served on the Board of Catholic Charities of Des Moines for two terms, and was a member of the American Legion. Thomas died at his home on Thursday, July 28,2005 having attained the age of seventy-eight years, four months and eleven days. He is preceded in death by his parents, one son, John Paul and two brothers, Fred and James. He is survived by his wife, Theresa of Portsmouth, Iowa; his children: Sharon and her husband, Bill Gaul of Tucson, Arizona; Mary Lou Arkfeld of Council Bluffs, Iowa; Joe Grote and his wife, Kathleen of Meridan, Kansas; Julia Theulen of Harlan, Iowa; Ruth and her husband Bob Perry of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Donna and her husband, Chris McGinty ofTopeka, Kansas; Rita Parsons of Auburn, Washington; Robert Grote of Harlan, Iowa; Laura Pinto of Omaha, Nebraska; John Grote of Oakland, California; Lisa Martin of Harlan, Iowa; his brothers: Robert Grote of Portsmouth, Iowa; Leroy Grote and his wife Betty of Earling, Iowa; Raphael Grote and his wife, Margaret of Dunlap, Iowa; one sister, Hilary and her husband Peter Gaul of Melbourne, Florida; twenty-two grandchildren; three great grandchildren; his uncle, Harry Grote and his wife Pearl of Fallbrook, California; his aunt, Mary and her husband Tom Martin of Council Bluffs, Iowa; other relatives and many friends.