Doris Lee (Reiter) Grewing

Doris Lee (Reiter) Grewing passed away on June 7, 2020 at the age of 84.  Rosary will be held at 6 p.m. on June 11 at the George J Carroll funeral home.  Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. on June 12 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, with Father Joe Keating officiating.

Doris was born on November 8, 1935, to Albert (Buddy) and Marie (Klement) Reiter.  She was the oldest of their five children and grew up with her siblings on their farm south of Muenster.  As a child, she helped her family raise chickens, cattle, and her favorite, sheep.  She also helped in the house, baking and cleaning for the family and those who helped on the farm.  Doris attended Sacred Heart School, and then, was a member of the first class to attend Muenster Public School, from where she graduated in 1953.

Growing up, the family spent much time with cousins, friends and neighbors.  Doris began a friendship with a neighbor family, the Grewings, and took a special liking to our Dad, Henry Jr. (Sonny).  They began dating when Doris was in high school, and continued while Henry was drafted into the army.  A week before they wed, Sonny and Doris were the attendants in his sister’s wedding, Joyce and Alrich (Red) Zwinggi.  The next week, on July 7, 1954, Joyce and Red were Doris and Sonny’s attendants at their wedding.

After Doris and Sonny married, they lived in El Paso, where Sonny was stationed in the army.  They eventually returned to Muenster.  They had five children in the first seven years of their marriage:  Terry, Kathy, Mike, Carol and Troy.  Six years after Troy was born, they had Gary, and seven years later, Kay was born.

Many are blessed with a wonderful wife, and special moms, but we think we had the best.  Mom worked hard, helping dad farm, while raising seven kids.  She was an excellent cook, and was best known for her fried chicken, desserts, and homemade soup.  The grandkids loved her spaghetti and ABC pancakes.  During the summer, Dad often worked late in the field.  She had dinner ready for him when he came home…not just a sandwich or leftovers, but would cook a full meal as late as 11 at night.  When hay haulers came for the summer, they magically showed up just in time for dinner…she always found this humorous.

To say that she kept our house in order is an understatement.  Saturdays were meant for cleaning the house, and the girls couldn’t leave for the evening until the house was cleaned.  A family friend remarked that her house was so clean, you could perform brain surgery in her closet.  Even in her later years, she found pleasure in making sure the house was in order.

Mom was always there at the kids’ activities, whether it was sports events, making costumes for plays, attending school field trips, or filling in as a substitute teacher for their classes.  She volunteered in the religious ed programs while they were growing up.  When we got in trouble, her response was “wait until your Dad gets home.”  She probably knew that the long wait for him to get home was worse than any punishment she could give!

She was just as exceptional of a grandmother, and the grandkids loved going to her and Grandpa’s house.  They often babysat the kids during the day and on special occasions so the parents could have date night.  During these times, Grandma was the best at doing crafts with the kids and could always be talked into playing a game of Connect 4, Memory, or drawing on the porch with chalk.  As we got older, she loved a good game of dominoes, and was tough to beat, even in her later years.  We kids joke that the grandkids got away with more than we did growing up.  Grandma allowed the oldest grandkids to lie under the kitchen table one day and draw on the bottom of it.  Their artwork is still there today.  The kids fed cows on the farm, loved fishing in the ponds and dove hunting.  Grandma and grandpa always had treats to send home with the kids: Cokes, candy, and homemade cookies and cupcakes decorated for the holidays.  They always slipped the kids money on the side, whether it be for getting good grades in school (even if they didn’t quite get an A!) or to take to the football games…one granddaughter remarked to her mom that “grandma and grandpa must be loaded!”  They enjoyed attending the grandkids’ little league games, open houses at school, and watching the older kids play and excel at sports.

Mom was faithful, and instilled that belief in her children as well.  If the kids tried to skip out on religious ed classes or church when they were teenagers, they were grounded from any activities during the entire week.  Any time we were facing sadness or a hardship, her favorite saying was “this too shall pass.”  She once remarked to me that she could not physically get out of bed in the mornings until she prayed for her husband, each kid and their spouses, and all the grandkids.  Once she finished her prayers, she was able to go about her day.  She was a prayer warrior for everyone.  When family or friends were sick, she often sent cards to them on a regular basis and sent prayer requests to St. Jude for them.  Even at the end of her life, she still requested her prayer books and had special pages and prayers marked for the kids and grandkids.

Doris is survived by her husband of nearly 66 years, Sonny; children and their spouses:  Terry Grewing and Danny Gilbreath, Kathy Grewing and Chuck Cheney, Mike Grewing, Carol and Jim (Smoke) Koelzer, Troy Grewing, Gary and Kelly Grewing, and Kay and Alex Schroeder.  She leaves behind 14 grandchildren:  Wesley, Jace’, Dalton Koelzer, Demi (Koelzer) and Dillon Bayer, Terrell and Tyler Grewing, Shelby Grewing, Josey and Lainey Grewing, and Austin, Kennedy and Andie Schroeder.  She’s survived by sister, Margie Sicking, and brothers and their wives, Johnny and Jeanette Reiter and Monty and Gay Lynn Reiter; brothers-in-law, Jimmy Kupper, Leonard and Dorothy Grewing; and sisters-in-law, Joyce Zwinggi and Dolores Bierschenk.

She was proceeded in death by her parents, Buddy and Marie Reiter, and one sister, Janell Kupper.

Pallbearers are daughter, Kathy Grewing, sons, Mike, Troy and Gary Grewing, and grandsons, Wesley and Dalton Koelzer.  Grandsons Terrell Grewing and Austin Schroeder are honorary pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Doris’ memory to St. Jude Children’s Hospital or Cooke County Home Hospice.