Marian Gruenfelder

1934 - 2023

Marian Gruenfelder 1934- 2023 We would like to call this a love letter to our Mom, not an obituary. She was an influence on all 3 of her daughters, extended family and friends for 88 years. Marian Gruenfelder passed away October 13, 2023 at Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, CO.

She was born on November 5, 1934 in Maddock, North Dakota to Bernard and Alice Doyle and grew up on the family farm near Velva, ND. She received her RN degree from the University of North Dakota (1956) and attended graduate school at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, MN earning a master's degree in nursing education (1959). While in MInneapolis she met John Gruenfelder; they married in August, 1958. Two daughters were born in Minneapolis and one daughter was born in Laramie after the move west. Marian continued working as a nurse throughout her career. She was an instructor for the University of Wyoming School of Nursing supervising nursing students at Ivinson Memorial Hospital and Bethesda Care Center. She completed her nursing career after several years working at Crossroads at Ivinson Memorial Hospital.

She truly enjoyed being a nurse because she met so many people, was able to care for and connect with them, and made many friends. She was awarded Nurse of the Year in 1990 by the Wyoming Nurses Association (WNA), District 12. In 2010 she was named a Pioneer in Nursing by the WNA. In addition, she was a member of Sigma Theta Tau, the International Honor Society of Nursing for over 50 years and a member of the American Nursing Association Council on Gerontological Nursing.

Until recent years she and friends that had graduated from nursing school together would take one, or sometimes, 2 trips a year to visit different places around the country. She also kept in touch with a pen pal from Malta whom she had started corresponding with as a teenager in 1948.

John taught history at the university and took the family to live in London through the years as he did research. During these visits Marian explored some of the nursing practices in England, one of which became a major interest, hospice care. She and several women in the local community founded a hospice organization in Laramie in 1983. Today it is known as Hospice of Laramie. She continued to serve as a volunteer and board member of Hospice for many years. Other community interests included the Laramie Garden Club, Gifts for Living, and St Mary's CCW group.

After retirement they both enjoyed several trips to England to visit friends. A particular pleasure was to spend time with very special friends of over 50 years, Tom and Ursula Mann. We are content to know that the four of them are reunited again enjoying a pint and talking about politics, history, family and life. There were also trips to Europe riding the rails and visiting many different countries. After raising her 3 daughters she took enormous pride in her 3 grandsons.

Her eyes would light up talking about their accomplishments and activities and she loved their visits; nothing made her happier.



She is preceded in death by her husband John, her parents, and her niece Kelly Steckler. She is survived by her 3 daughters and their husbands, Barbara and Chuck Muller, Jean and Jeff Petty, Judy and Justin Sanders, her 3 grandsons, Ian Muller, Connor and Ralph Petty, her sister Helen Steckler, brother James Doyle and wife, Isabel, nephews Scott Steckler (Kathy Weninger), Todd and Mayra Steckler, and great niece Angela Steckler and great nephew Jacob Steckler. Special cousins Jerry Brickner, Kathleen Burley, Karen Ann (Bob) Gilliam also survive her.

Services will be held at St. Paul's Newman Center in Laramie on Friday, October 20th at 10 am with burial in Greenhill Cemetery. A reception is to follow at the Newman Center.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Hospice of Laramie, 1754 Centennial Dr., Laramie, WY