Obit: Grap, Lucille (1915 - 2004)
Poster: Kipp Kippenhan
 

Wednesday, April 21, 2004 edition of the Tribune - Record - Gleaner

Lucille M. Grap

Lucille Margaret Grap, age 89, of Neillsville, died Friday, April 16, at the Memorial Nursing Home in Neillsville.

Lucille Margaret Grap was born Margaret Lucille Clark on Jan. 27, 1915 in Chippewa Falls. She was adopted as a newborn by Joseph D. and Tena (Sokolosky) Butler and they reversed her given names. She attended Neillsville North Side School and Neillsville High School. Her mother was a cook at the Merchants Hotel and later ran boarding houses and cooked for boarders so Lucille learned cooking meals for a crowd at an early age. Her mother also taught her embroidery and quilting skills. Many of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren have quilts she made. As a teenager she enjoyed dances and met Frederick L. Grap, Sr. at those dances. They were married October 9, 1932 in Neillsville, and she moved to the family farm at Globe. This "city girl" adapted to farm life, milking cows, doing field work and making maple syrup side-by-side with her husband and father-in-law. She enjoyed sewing, embroidery, cooking, canning, making sausage and meat processing side-by-side with her mother-in-law. Somehow she found time to help her own mother with quilts. Five of her six children were born in that farmhouse. Since she lived with her husband's parents there were frequent visits from aunts, uncles, cousins and also great aunts, uncles and cousins of her in-laws. She taught her children profound respect for their elders.

After farming for thirty years she cooked and cleaned for twenty years at Memorial Hospital and cooked evenings at Bali Hai Supper Club and the Wildcat Inn, and she and husband Fritz cleaned at the Neillsville Foundry. She was a member of Immanuel Lutheran Church and Immanuel Ladies Aid. She especially enjoyed visits from her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She is survived by two sons, Ronald (Linda) Grap of St. Louis, Missouri; Frederick (Mildred) Grap of Neillsville, and three daughters, June (Clarence) Huettenrauch of Mequon, JoAnn (Gary) Ruzic of Neillsville and Susan (Daniel) Schwark of Willard. She is also survived by 22 grandchildren; 40 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Frederick L. Grap Sr.; one son, Lewis M. Grap; seven grandchildren and her brother, Douglas Butler.

Funeral Services for Lucille were held Monday, April 19, at the Immanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Globe. Pastor Daniel Cole officiated. Music was provided by Karen Hoppa, organist. Interment was in the Neillsville City Cemetery.

The Gesche Funeral Home assisted Lucille's family with funeral arrangements.

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