EMORY GRUENKE

PATTON -- Emory Willis Gruenke, 73, of Patton died Monday, March 29, 1999, at the family home.

He was born Dec. 18, 1925, at St. Louis, son of Albert and Mary Boettger Gruenke. He married Wilma Leist July 7, 1949. She survives.

He had worked for the Sporlan Value Co. in St. Louis for 35 years before moving to the Patton area. He worked for Superior Electric in Cape Girardeau for five years and had been the custodian for the Meadow Heights School until his retirement in 1988.

He was an Army veteran of World War II and was a member of the Mended Heart Association of Southeast Missouri Hospital.

Also surviving are two sons, Emory and Danny Gruenke, both of Patton; two daughters, Belinda Todd of Kenton, Tenn., and Debra Davis of St. Ann; a brother, Vernon Gruenke of Fairview Heights, Ill.; three sisters, Lillian Pickle and Lavern Pfhingsten, both of St. Louis, and Betty McCallister of O'Fallon, Ill.; five grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today at the Liley Funeral Home in Patton.

Funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at the funeral home chapel, with the Rev. Stella Turner officiating.

Burial will be at the Calvary Catholic Cemetery in St. Louis.