Arden “Leroy” Grieshaber was born May 11, 1948, in Riverside, California, to Arden Given and Stella Maxine (Newberg) Grieshaber. Tuesday, April 7, 2020, Leroy suffered a cardiac arrest from cancer complications (not corona virus) at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska. He was 71 years old.
Leroy was confirmed into the Seventh Day Baptist Church in Riverside, CA. which was the same church his grandfather helped build. After he and Patricia were married, he continued his faith at St. Timothy’s Catholic Church near Reno.
Leroy graduated from John Wesley North High School in Riverside, CA, in 1968. He was drafted into the United States Marine Corps following high school. Leroy served eighteen months in Viet Nam before he was honorably discharged in 1970.
Leroy was married to Darlene Cunningham in California in 1973 and to this union a daughter, Angela Renee, was born. After his divorce Leroy moved to Iowa.
On January 25, 1979, Leroy wed Patricia Waters in Griswold, IA. They had three sons, Nathan, Andy and Robin.
Leroy was employed in 1979 to Confinement Engineers. He worked for them for three years then took a job with Jim Leach on a hog farm. In April 1983, Leroy went to work for what is presently Mahle Industries. He worked for them for thirty years before becoming ill with cancer.
Leroy always lived life to the fullest. He loved watching his sons during their sporting events. He was their biggest fan. Leroy liked to camp, fish, play cards, and play a good game of Aggravation. He lived for his grandchildren and loved them ferociously. Leroy didn’t complain about battling cancer for the last eight years. He just took it on with his usual zest for life. When he was first told he had cancer he responded, “Piece of cake”. He was the toughest guy EVER!
Leroy was preceded in death by his parents, Arden and Maxine Grieshaber; a sister, Janet Soncrant; a niece, Lori Hoskins; his parents-in-law, Noel and Bertha Waters; and four brothers-in-law, Jim and Rick Waters, Kenny Young and Bob Hopkins.
Leroy is survived by his loving wife of 41 years, Patricia; his sons, Nathan of Anita, Andy and Robin of Cumberland; his daughter, Renee of Shelbyville, TN; his grandchildren, Bailey and Tinley Grieshaber, Daniel, Ashley and Abbi Faulk, and Dustin Hopper; one great-grandson, Garner Hopper; a brother, Eugene of Riverside, CA; sisters-in-law, Alice (Mike) Greise of Omaha, NE, Eleanor Hopkins of Underwood, Linda (Lance) Coles of Ankeny, Marj Akers of Windsor Heights, Chick Waters of Shell Rock, Barb Waters of Cumberland and Sister Rita Waters R.S.M. of Washington D.C.; brothers-in-law, Ben (Tammy) Waters of Marne and Frank (Sheryl) Waters of Cumberland; and many other members of extended family and friends.
A Celebration of Life service and burial will be held at at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, August 22, 2020, at St. Timothy’s Catholic Church in Cumberland, Iowa.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family for designation at a later date.
Hockenberry Family Care of Atlantic, IA, is in charge of Leroy’s arrangements.
