Eileen Grande

Eileen Joyce Grande, 74, Wausau, died Wednesday, March 5, 2014 surrounded by her family at North Central Health Care under the care of Aspirus Comfort Care and Hospice Services.

Eileen was born July 28, 1939 in Wausau to the late Otto and Myrtle (Ballerstein) Bluhm. While growing up, Eileen learned to drive by driving a stock car on the Kelly Racetrack. She graduated from Wausau High School and soon after married Lloyd Grande. Over the years, Eileen worked for Marathon Electric, Connor Forest Industries, Drummond Wood Products, Telemark Ski Lodge and Semling Menke Manufacturing. In addition to working outside the home to help support her family, she also was very creative with her redecorating and remodeling and made clothes for her children as they grew up.

Eileen was a family orientated woman with a great deal of love for her children and grandchildren. Family trips were taken all over the United States and into Canada over the years where countless art and history museums were visited, instilling a love and respect for the arts and history in her children. Eileen was also not one to sit around, she made friends with strangers quickly and was known as quite the social butterfly. In her free time, she enjoyed working in her flower gardens, swimming, ice skating, dancing to country and western music and watching Disney movies.

Eileen is survived by her husband of 56 years, Lloyd; children, Susan (Dan) Marquardt, Melody Silva, Jeff (Lori Ann) Grande and Lori Lynn Klatt; 11 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; brother, Gene (Judy) Bluhm; sister, Ivy Brunner; brother-in-law, Jack (Verna) Grande; sisters-in-law, Judy Grande, Dixie Grande and extended family and friends. She is preceded in death by her brother-in-law, Ray Grande.

A memorial services will be at 3:00 PM on Saturday, March 15, 2014 at Rib Mountain Lutheran Church. Reverend Raymond Connor will officiate. Visitation will be from 1:00 PM until the time of services at the church on Saturday. Burial will be at a later date in the Drummond Cemetery in Drummond, WI.
You may sign our family guestbook at www.helke.com.