Sherald Fredrick Grauer

Sherald F. Grauer (“Sid”), son of Fred and Cecelia (Mackowski) Grauer was born in Cleghorn Iowa, on March 7, 1934. He and twin sister, Shirley, were the fourth and fifth children in a family of nine.

The family moved to Cherokee, eventually settling on Cherry Street where they were active members of Trinity Lutheran Church where he was confirmed.

Sherald enjoyed all high school sports and was proud to be a part of a basketball team that earned a trip to the boys’ state basketball in 1951-1952 season, finishing runner up with a 21-2 record. He was also a member of Cherokee’s first baseball team his senior year.

After graduating from Cherokee Wilson High School in May 1952, he married Carole M. Ogren from Grand Meadow Township area in 1955.

He entered military service in March 1956 serving in the US Navy Mobile Construction Battalion 3 in the Philippines. While there he worked during the evening surveying airport runway construction projects while also playing basketball on a traveling team which played local teams. He was honorably discharged in October 1957 and relocated back to Cherokee.

He worked for Cherokee County briefly before beginning his 31-year career as a letter carrier for the US Postal Service. He loved being outdoors while fishing and hunting and even established a fur buying and selling business while raising fox for the development of scent lures. Over the years he also refereed football, basketball and baseball in the area to continue his love of sports.

He retired in 1989 and worked part time at the local car wash.  He enjoyed traveling to Loughlin, NV with Carole where they met with friends and family to enjoy the milder climate during the winter months. He and Carole enjoyed playing golf with many friends over the years.

Sherald enjoyed his home church and has loved to see it flourish over the years with many new families, the preschool and the current expansion of the church building.

Sherald was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Carole in 2013; his father, Fred in 1968 and his mother, Cecelia in 1996; siblings Dale, Robert and Evelyn Stoner; brothers-in-law Charles Stoner, Orville Saxby, Joe Veale, Donald Radke and LeRoy Larson.

Sherald is survived by daughters Gina (David) Frank of Aitkin, MN and Connie (Gayle) Grauer of Iowa City, IA; grandchildren Spenser (Karen) Frank of Purcellville, VA, Mason Frank and Casey Frank, both of Aurora, CO; great grandsons Warren and Harlan; sisters Darlene Radke, Lila Saxby, Shirley Larson, all of Cherokee; Mary Ann Rasmus and Margie Veale of San Diego, CA; sister in law, Wilma Grauer of Sanborn, IA and brother-in-law Bill Rasmus of San Diego, CA; and several nieces and nephews.

Sherald’s passion was conversation with people. He really enjoyed sharing stories and sometimes spirited conversations with all his friends and family. We will miss that about him but rejoice that he is in heaven meeting Jesus, seeing Carole and continuing conversations with all those who have passed before him.