Alvina Grundmeyer, 93, of Oelwein passed away Wednesday February 16, 2022 at MercyOne Medical Center in Oelwein. Visitation will be from 3:00-6:00 PM on Tuesday February 22, 2022 at the Geilenfeld-Buehner Funeral Home in Oelwein. There will be a Rosary Service by the Catholic Daughters Of The Americas beginning at 2:45 PM. Funeral services will begin at 11:00 on Wednesday, February 23, 2022 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oelwein with Fr. Ray Atwood officiating. Interment will be at Strawberry Point Cemetery in Strawberry Point. Memorials may be directed to the Catholic Daughters of The Americas in Oelwein or the St. Croix Hospice.
Alvina Catherine Sandman was born in Raeville, NE on September 2, 1928 to parents Henry and Sophia (Velder) Sandman. She attended country school in Nebraska. On August 31, 1945 Alvina was united in marriage with Conrad Grundmeyer at St. Bonaventure Catholic Church in Raeville. .
Alvina and her husband Conrad moved to Iowa around 1950 and raised five daughters and one son on a farm in the Volga area. They relocated to Oelwein in 1979. Alvina then worked at Duffy’s Shoes and helped people with their painting and wallpapering needs. She had also previously been employed at Theis Clothing in Elkader and worked in home healthcare in later years.
Alvina was very involved in Catholic Daughters projects. She helped start the Sacred Heart Annual Garage Sale. She volunteered for United Way and was a Big Sister with the Volunteers For Youth program.
In her retirement, the fruits of her labor made an impact on the world. She sewed blankets and sleeping bags for the homeless and less fortunate as well as hundreds and hundreds of dresses for the orphan and school girls in the missions of Haiti, Kenya and Guatemala. She really had a heart for the less fortunate and believed in using her free time to do good in the world. She was blessed by and so very thankful for the continued outpouring of donations of fabric and sewing supplies over the years from those who heard about her volunteer work.
Alvina also had a passion and talent for gardening and quilting, was an amazing cook, and truly enjoyed feeding and watching birds.
Left to celebrate Alvina’s life are her children: Sheryl (Joe) Hammel of Castalia, Lila Dvorsky of Marion, Jane (Bob) Groth of Garber, Mary (Sharm) Samuelson of Oelwein and Julie Grundmeyer of Des Moines; her daughter-in-law Julie (Ray) Grundmeyer-Sandhagen of Edgewood; her 18 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; her son Dale Grundmeyer; her sons-in-law: Vernon Dvorsky and Bob Jones; her sisters: Leona Spieker and Marcella Koenig; her brothers: Henry Sandman and Leonard Sandman; her granddaughter Jenny Grundmeyer and her great-grandson Lennon Schara.
