Evelyn Granzow

 Evelyn Elizabeth Granzow, a long-time resident of Blissfield, MI, passed away December 30, 2015 in Hastings, MI. She was 93.

Evelyn was born March 27, 1922 in Albuquerque, NM, where her family moved after her father was injured in World War I. After his passing, Evelyn moved back to Holgate, Ohio, with her mother and sister, where she grew up surrounded by her mother’s extended family.

Her earliest recollections were of farm life, gathering berries in the woods with her grandmother, and watching her uncles make dandelion wine.

Evelyn graduated from Toledo School of Nursing in 1944. Soon after, she enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps and served during World War II, until her honorable discharge in 1946. She then attended Case Western Reserve and earned a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, in 1948. In 1950 she was recalled to active duty during the Korean War, and was assigned to a surgical unit in Germany. She was honorably discharged a second time in 1953. She then began working toward an advanced degree, earning a Master’s of Nursing Administration in 1955 from Wayne State University.

It was as a nurse in Virginia that she met her future husband, Donald Granzow. They met in late 1954 and were married on August 27, 1955. In 2015 they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They moved to Blissfield in 1956, where Don established a dental practice. That same year they also joined St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, where they remained active members until their move to Hastings, in 2011. During her more than 50 years as a member of St. Paul’s she was a continually reliable volunteer, organizer, and leader. She lived her faith through her actions. As a resident of Blissfield for more than 50 years, Evelyn contributed to the well-being of the community in countless ways.

Because she was a trained nurse, she was often called on by friends, neighbors, and family to evaluate injuries, provide emergency care, and offer informed medical advice. Through the years she also worked for a number of area organizations, including LARC, the Lenawee Community Mental Health Authority, Lenawee Medical Care Facility, and the Cielito Lindo Daycare Program at St. Paul’s.

Evelyn is survived by her husband Donald; by her four children and their spouses, John (Gwen), Stephen (Linda), Kathryn (William), and Thomas (Jennifer); by her five grandchildren, Chase, Gage, Zlatko, Emma, and Ian; and by her sister, Alene. Funeral services took place Sunday, January 3, 2015, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Blissfield. Evelyn was an avid, life-long reader and 50 year patron of the Schultz-Holmes Memorial Library. The family requests that memorials be given to the library in her name. Memorials may also be given to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Blissfield or Grace Lutheran Church in Hastings. Online condolences and memories are welcome at www.WagleyFuneralHomes.com.