Judith "Judy" Griebenow

The memorial service for Judith ''Judy" Griebenow, 80, a longtime Stewartville, Mn. resident will be at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday (May 26, 2021) at St. Johns Lutheran Church in Stewartville with Rev. Lyle Fritsch officiating. Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery in Stewartville. Judy died unexpectedly on Monday (5/17/2021) at her home,  following a short illness.                                

Judith Irene Heitman was born November 25, 1940 in Lake City,MN to Ernest and Irene (Zillgitt ) Heitman. Judy  started elementary school in Lake City and moved with her family as a young girl  to Winona and then Rochester where she graduated from Rochester H.S. in 1958. She attended Mankato State College earning her Bachelor of Science Degree in Home Economics and Biology in 1962. She then taught Home Economics in the Winona and Albert Leas school districts. Judy was married on July 31, 1965 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Rochester to William T. Griebenow. They lived in Rochester for 1 year and then 9 years in Stewartville before moving to their farm in rural Stewartville. Judy was a  homemaker/farm wife and taught home economics  as a substitute teacher for the Stewartville and Dover Eyota school districts for a number of years. She was employed as a county extension agent with Olmsted County for a short time and was employed at Child Care Resource and Referral in Rochester until her retirement. Bill was employed as a machinist at IBM in Rochester, sold insurance with Harvest Insurance Co. and operated Griebenow Trucking.  Mr. Griebenow died on May 30, 2011 and Judy moved into Stewartville where she has continued to make her home.  Judy was a longtime member of St. Johns Lutheran Church in Stewartville where she taught Tuesday school and served with it’s Ladies Aid, as a Trustee, as  a board member for education and social ministry and volunteered with St. John’s Meals on Wheels. She volunteered with the Rochester Zone LWML (Lutheran Womens Missionary League) as secretary and on it’s Human Care Board and with POBLO(People of the Book Lutheran Outreach) teaching sewing at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Rochester. She volunteered with Channel One in Rochester, was Program Coordinator for the Backpack program at Stewartville schools and volunteered with SALT (Step Ahead Learning & Tutoring) program.  She served on the boards of Maplebrook Townhouse Assn. and Woodlawn Cemetery Assn., both in Stewartville. She enjoyed gardening, sewing, traveling and snowmobiling with Bill and mowing on the farm. She enjoyed visiting with her many friends and neighbors and loved spending time with her family, especially with Michelle, Jeff and Amber.

Surviors include her daughter- Michelle(Jeff) Moe of Stewartville and grand-daughter - Amber Farnsworth of Stewartville and her brother – Richard(Duchess) Heitman of Banning, CA. She was preceded in death by her husband – Bill, her son – Chad, her parents and her brother – Robert “Bobby” Heitman.

A time of visitation for family and friends will be from 4 to 7:00 P.M. on Tuesday (May 25, 2021) at St. Johns  Lutheran Church in Stewartville and 1 hr. prior to the service at the church on Wednesday morning. Arrangements are with Griffin-Gray F.H. in Stewartville. Memorials can be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church. Condolences and memories of Judy are welcome at  www.griffin-gray.com   A live stream of Judy’s memorial service can be viewed by going to the  St. Johns Lutheran website on Wednesday morning(5-26).

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