LEISHA GRUENWALD obituary

Leisha Holly Gruenwald, 30, of Waterloo, Iowa, formerly of Havre, died at her home Thursday, Jan. 26, 2006, after an illness due to cancer.

A funeral service was scheduled for 2 p.m. today in St. Paul Lutheran Church at Clark with Minister Marion Grimes officiating. Burial was to follow in the Prairie Valley.

She was born Nov. 21, 1975, at Cut Bank to Les and Jackie (Reiner) Nordtug. In May of 1976, she was baptized in Canyon Community Church at Coram. She was confirmed in St. Paul Lutheran Church at Havre. She attended grade school, middle school and high school in Havre, graduating in 1994.

On Oct. 5, 1996, she was united in marriage to Rusty Golie. That same year, she and her family moved to Clark. While living in Clark, she worked at various businesses, including the Sportsman's Bar, Mike's Time Out and Clark Liquors. On July 28, 2000, she married Rod Gruenwald. They lived in Clark for a short time before moving to Watertown. While living in Watertown, she worked at Dollar, etc. and attended school at Mount Marty-Watertown Campus, taking courses in criminal justice. A short time ago, she was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer. Her love for people and the strength she received from her children was what kept her going. Shortly after the first of this year, she moved with her children to Waterloo, where she planned to continue her education in the field of criminal justice.

She was preceded in death by her father, Les Nordtug Sr .; and younger brother, Layne.

She is survived by her children, Lauryn Jacqueline and Rodney Layne Gruenwald; mother and stepfather, Jackie and Terry Evans of Bradley, Iowa; brother, Les Nordtug Jr. of Albert Lea, Minn .; maternal grandmother and namesake, Holly Reiner of Clark, S.D .; stepgrandfather, Jerome DePute of Malta; stepgrandmother, Mabel Evans of Clark; and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

The Furness Funeral Home of Clark is serving the family were e-mail condolences can be sent to http://www.furnessfuneralhome .com. Sympathy cards can be mailed to Furness Funeral Home, 402 N. Commercial St., Clark, SD 57225.