After graduation, Ardene worked in Fremont at the Ideal Laundry and Dry Cleaners as an office employee. She also worked at the Farmers Co-op in Scribner.
Ardene met Clinton Grunke at the Cuming County Fair. They were united in marriage on July 18, 1948 at the St. John's (County Line) Lutheran Church of Scribner. Clinton and Ardene took over the family farm, northeast of Scribner, in January of 1949.
Ardene was an active member of St. John's Lutheran Church and the W.E.L.C.A. She was a member of the Scribner American Legion Auxiliary Unit 121, and a past member of the Scribner Women's Club. She worked 12 years as a cook at the Good Samaritan Center in Scribner and loved making homemade soup for the residents. She liked to read, garden, and bake. Many of her canned and baked goods won prizes at the Dodge County Fair.
Ardene's husband, Clinton, passed away June 1, 1994. She was also preceded in death by her parents, Emil and Lydia Grosc.
Survivors include 4 sons and 2 daughters; Richard Grunke and wife Patty, of Lincoln; Denise Grunke of Scribner; Roger Grunke and wife Mary of Seward; David Grunke of Scribner; Larry Grunke and wife Sharon of Norfolk; Joyce (Grunke) and husband Gary Tienken of Scribner. Ardene was blessed with 16 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.
The funeral service will be 10:30 AM Wednesday (April 20, 2011) at St. John's (County Line) Lutheran Church with Vicar Jeffrey Schmitz officiating. The committal will follow in St. John's Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Scribner Library and St. John's Lutheran Church.
Visitation will be on Tuesday (April 19th) at Ludvigsen's Scribner Funeral Chapel in Scribner from 3 to 8 PM, with the family present from 5 to 8 PM.
online guestbook @ www.hooper-scribner.com
Condolences(7)
Glo Schneider
Milford, NE Monday, April 18, 2011 Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Roger and Mary, and with all of your family. May she rest in peace. Amen.Karen Moeller
Columbia Heights, MN Monday, April 18, 2011 Denise and Grunke family, Please accept my heartfelt sympathy in the loss of your mom. Cherish the many memories as they will be with you always. May God's love and that of family and friends surround you. Sincerely, Karen (Chabe)Phil Beckenhauer
Omaha, NE Monday, April 18, 2011 My sympathy in the loss of your Mother. Although I never met your parents, I am related to your Dad. His Grandma Grunke and my Grandpa Beckenhauer from Wayne were first cousins. I remember going with Grandpa and my step-grandmother to West Point and visiting Herman and Louise and their daughter Mina in their very large home many years ago.Pastor Bruce L. Schut
Scribner, NE Tuesday, April 19, 2011 Ardene always brought a smile and spiritual wisdom to our Bible Study when she lived at the Villa. We missed her when her health kept her from being with us. I pray God will comfort you with the resurrection hope and give you strength of faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior during this time of loss. What a comfort it is to know Ardene had that assruance of faith and eternal life no matter how challenging life and health were for her over the past years and months.Marlene Stumpe Geiger
Ames, IA Wednesday, April 20, 2011 I extend my heartfelt sympathy in the loss of your mom. May your many memories ease your loss and keep her memory alive. I think of her as I knew her in the 1960s, a busy mom and farmer's wife.Sarah & John Rinkol
norfolk, ne Wednesday, April 20, 2011JERMEY
SIOUXFALLS, SD Friday, April 22, 2011 What Hope for Dead Loved Ones? "If a man die, shall he live again?" asked the man Job long ago. (Job 14:14, King James Version) Perhaps you, too, have wondered about this. How would you feel if you knew that a reunion with your loved ones was possible right here on earth under the best of conditions? Well, the Bible makes the promise: "Your dead ones will live. . . . They will rise up." And the Bible also says: "The righteous themselves will possess the earth, and they will reside forever upon it."--Isaiah 26:19; Psalm 37:29. To have real confidence in such promises, we need to answer some basic questions: Why do people die? Where are the dead? And how can we be sure they can live again? Death, and What Happens When We Die The Bible makes it clear that God did not originally intend for humans to die. He created the first human pair Adam and Eve, placed them in an earthly paradise called Eden, and instructed them to have children and extend their Paradise home earth wide. They would die only if they disobeyed his instructions.--Genesis 1:28; 2:15-17. Lacking appreciation for God's kindness, Adam and Eve did disobey and were made to pay the prescribed penalty. "You [will] return to the ground," God told Adam, "for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:19) Before his creation Adam did not exist; he was dust. And for his disobedience, or sin, Adam was sentenced to return to dust, to a state of nonexistence. Death is thus an absence of life. The Bible draws the contrast: "The wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life." (Romans 6:23) Showing that death is a state of total unconsciousness, the Bible says: "For the living are conscious that they will die; but as for the dead, they are conscious of nothing at all." (Ecclesiastes 9:5) When a person dies, the Bible explains: "His spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground; in that day his thoughts do perish."--Psalm 146:3, 4. However, since only Adam and Eve disobeyed that command in Eden, why do we all die? It is because all of us were born after Adam's disobedience, and so we all inherited sin and death from him. As the Bible explains: "Through one man [Adam] sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men."--Romans 5:12; Job 14:4. Yet someone may ask: 'Don't humans have an immortal soul that survives death?' Many have taught this, even saying that death is a doorway to another life. But that idea does not come from the Bible. Rather, God's Word teaches that you are a soul, that your soul is really you, with all your physical and mental qualities. (Genesis 2:7; Jeremiah 2:34; Proverbs 2:10) Also, the Bible says: "The soul that is sinning--it itself will die." (Ezekiel 18:4) Nowhere does the Bible teach that man has an immortal soul that survives the death of the body. How Humans Can Live Again After sin and death entered the world, God revealed that it was his purpose that the dead be restored to life by means of a resurrection. Thus the Bible explains: "Abraham . . . reckoned that God was able to raise [his son Isaac] up even from the dead." (Hebrews 11:17-19) Abraham's confidence was not misplaced, for the Bible says of the Almighty: "He is a God, not of the dead, but of the living, for they are all living to him."--Luke 20:37, 38. Yes, Almighty God has not only the power but also the desire to resurrect persons whom he chooses. Jesus Christ himself said: "Do not marvel at this, because the hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear his voice and come out."--John 5:28, 29; Acts 24:15. Not long after saying this, Jesus met a funeral procession coming out of the Israelite city of Nain. The dead young man was the only child of a widow. On seeing her extreme grief, Jesus was moved with pity. So, addressing the corpse, he commanded: "Young man, I say to you, Get up!" And the man sat up, and Jesus gave him to his mother.--Luke 7:11-17. As in the case of that widow, there was also great ecstasy when Jesus visited the home of Jairus, a presiding officer of the Jewish synagogue. His 12-year-old daughter had died. But when Jesus arrived at Jairus' home, he went over to the dead child and said: "Girl, get up!" And she did!--Luke 8:40-56. Later, Jesus' friend Lazarus died. When Jesus arrived at his home, Lazarus had been dead for four days. Although deeply grieved, his sister Martha expressed hope, saying: "I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day." But Jesus went to the tomb, ordered the stone to be removed, and called: "Lazarus, come on out!" And he did!--John 11:11-44. Now think about this: What was Lazarus' condition during those four days he was dead? Lazarus did not say anything about being in a heaven of bliss or a hell of torment, which surely he would have done if he had been there. No, Lazarus was completely unconscious in death and would have remained so until "the resurrection on the last day" if Jesus had not then restored him to life. It is true that these miracles of Jesus were of only temporary benefit, since those that he resurrected died again. However, he gave proof 1,900 years ago that, with God's power, the dead really can live again! So by his miracles Jesus showed on a small scale what will take place on earth under the Kingdom of God. When a Loved One Dies When the enemy death strikes, your grief can be great, even though you may hope in the resurrection. Abraham had faith his wife would live again, yet we read that "Abraham came in to bewail Sarah and to weep over her." (Genesis 23:2) And what about Jesus? When Lazarus died, he "groaned in the spirit and became troubled," and shortly afterward he "gave way to tears." (John 11:33, 35) So, when someone you love dies, it does not show weakness to cry. When a child dies, it is particularly hard for the mother. Thus the Bible acknowledges the bitter grief that a mother can feel. (2 Kings 4:27) Of course, it is difficult for the bereaved father as well. "O that I might have died, I myself, instead of you," lamented King David when his son Absalom died.--2 Samuel 18:33. Yet, because you have confidence in the resurrection, your sorrow will not be unrelenting. As the Bible says, you will "not sorrow just as the rest also do who have no hope." (1 Thessalonians 4:13) Rather, you will draw close to God in prayer, and the Bible promises that "he himself will sustain you."--Psalm 55:22. Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible quotations are from the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Do You Have an Immortal Spirit? IS THERE life after death? That question has perplexed mankind for millenniums. Over the ages, people in every society have pondered the subject and have come up with various beliefs. Throughout the world, including the Pacific region of Polynesia, Melanesia, and Micronesia, many people believe that a "spirit" survives the death of a person. Does something inside a person really leave the body at death and continue living? What is the spirit in a living person? What happens to it when we die? God's inspired Word, the Bible, gives truthful and satisfying answers to these questions. What Is the Spirit? In the Bible, the words translated "spirit" basically mean "breath." But this implies much more than the act of breathing. The Bible writer James, for example, states: "The body without spirit is dead." (James 2:26) Hence, spirit is that which animates the body. This animating force cannot simply be the breath, or air, moving through the lungs. Why not? Because after breathing stops, life remains in the body cells for a brief period--"for several minutes," according to The World Book Encyclopedia. For this reason efforts at resuscitation can succeed, and body organs can be transplanted from one person to another. But once the spark of life is extinguished from the cells of the body, all efforts to restore life are futile. All the breath in the world cannot revive even one cell. The spirit, then, is the invisible life-force--the spark of life--that keeps the cells alive. This life-force is sustained by breathing.--Job 34:14, 15. Is that spirit active only in humans? The Bible helps us to reach a sound conclusion in this regard. Wise King Solomon wrote: "Who is there knowing the spirit of the sons of mankind, whether it is ascending upward; and the spirit of the beast, whether it is descending downward to the earth?" (Ecclesiastes 3:21) So animals as well as men are spoken of as having a spirit. How can that be? The spirit, or life-force, can be compared to electric current that flows through a machine or an appliance. The invisible electricity may be used to perform various functions, depending upon the type of equipment it powers. For example, a stove can be made to generate heat, a computer to process information and perform calculations, and a television set to produce images and sound. Yet, the electric current never takes on the features of the equipment it activates. It remains simply a force. Similarly, the life-force does not take on any of the characteristics of the creatures it animates. It has no personality, no thinking ability. Both humans and animals "have but one spirit." (Ecclesiastes 3:19) Hence, when a person dies, his spirit does not go on existing in another realm as a spirit creature. What, then, is the condition of the dead? And what happens to the spirit when a person dies? "To Dust You Will Return" When the first man, Adam, deliberately disobeyed God's command, Jehovah said to him: "In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:19) Where was Adam before Jehovah created him from the dust? Why, he was nowhere! He simply did not exist. So when Jehovah God said that Adam would "return to the ground," he meant that Adam would die. Adam would not cross over to the spirit realm. At death he would once again become lifeless, nonexistent. His punishment was death--absence of life--not a transfer to another realm.--Romans 6:23. What about others who have died? The condition of the dead is made clear at Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10, where we read: "The dead know nothing . . . There is no pursuit, no plan, no knowledge or intelligence, within the grave." (Moffatt) Death, therefore, is a state of nonexistence. The psalmist wrote that when a person dies, "his spirit goes out, he goes back to his ground; in that day his thoughts do perish."--Psalm 146:4. Clearly, the dead are unconscious, inactive. They do not know anything. They cannot see you, hear you, or talk to you. They can neither help you nor harm you. You certainly need not fear the dead. But how is it that the spirit "goes out" from a person at the time of his death? The Spirit "Returns to the True God" The Bible states that when a person dies, "the spirit itself returns to the true God who gave it." (Ecclesiastes 12:7) Does this mean that a spirit entity literally travels through space into God's presence? Not at all! The way in which the Bible uses the word "returns" does not require an actual movement from one place to another. For instance, unfaithful Israelites were told: "'Return to me, and I will return to you,' Jehovah of armies has said." (Malachi 3:7) Israel's 'returning' to Jehovah meant a turning around from a wrong course and again conforming to God's righteous way. And Jehovah's 'returning' to Israel meant his turning favorable attention to his people once again. In both cases the "return" involved an attitude, not a literal displacement from one geographic location to another. Similarly, at death no actual movement from the earth to the heavenly realm occurs when the spirit "returns" to God. Remember, the spirit is the life-force. Once that force is gone from a person, only God has the ability to restore it to him. So the spirit "returns to the true God" in that any hope of future life for that person now rests entirely with God. Consider, for example, what the Scriptures say about Jesus' death. The gospel writer Luke relates: "Jesus called with a loud voice and said: 'Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.' When he had said this, he expired." (Luke 23:46) As Jesus' spirit went out of him, he was not literally on his way to heaven. Jesus was not resurrected from the dead until the third day. And it was 40 more days before he ascended to heaven. (Acts 1:3, 9) At the time of his death, however, Jesus confidently left his spirit in his Father's hands, fully trusting in Jehovah's ability to bring him back to life. Yes, only God can bring a person back to life. (Psalm 104:30) What grand prospects this opens up! A Sure Hope The Bible says: "The hour is coming in which all those in the memorial tombs will hear [Jesus'] voice and come out." (John 5:28, 29) Yes, Jesus Christ promised that all those in Jehovah's memory will be resurrected, or brought back to life. Instead of sad announcements that people have died, joyful reports will tell of those who have been restored to life. What a delight it will be to welcome loved ones from the grave! Would you like to know more about how you can benefit from this God-given hope? We invite you to write to an address below for a copy of the brochure Spirits of the Dead--Can They Help You or Harm You? Do They Really Exist? Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible quotations are from the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. Comfort for the Depressed "All creation keeps on groaning together and being in pain together until now." (Romans 8:22) Human suffering was great when that was written over 1,900 years ago. Many were depressed. Therefore, Christians were urged: "Speak consolingly to the depressed souls."--1 Thessalonians 5:14. Today, human distress is even greater, and more people than ever are depressed. But should that surprise us? Not really, for the Bible identifies these as "the last days" and calls them "critical times hard to deal with." (2 Timothy 3:1-5) Jesus Christ foretold that during the last days, there would be "fearful sights."--Luke 21:7-11; Matthew 24:3-14. When people experience prolonged anxiety, fear, grief, or other such negative emotions, they often become depressed. The cause of depression or extreme sadness may be the death of a loved one, a divorce, the loss of a job, or an unrelenting sickness. People also become depressed when they develop a sense of worthlessness, when they feel they are a failure and have let everyone down. Anyone may be devastated by a stressful situation, but when a person develops a sense of hopelessness and is unable to see any way out of a bad situation, severe depression may result. People in ancient times experienced similar feelings. Job suffered sickness and personal misfortune. He felt that God had abandoned him, so he expressed a loathing toward life. (Job 10:1; 29:2, 4, 5) Jacob was depressed over the apparent death of his son, refusing to be comforted and wishing to die. (Genesis 37:33-35) Feeling guilt over serious error, King David lamented: "All day long I have walked about sad. I have grown numb."--Psalm 38:6, 8; 2 Corinthians 7:5, 6. Today, many have become depressed because of overtaxing themselves, trying to follow a daily routine that is beyond their mental, emotional, and physical resources. Apparently stress, coupled with negative thoughts and emotions, can affect the body and contribute to a chemical imbalance in the brain, thus producing depression.--Compare Proverbs 14:30. Help That They Need Epaphroditus, a first-century Christian from Philippi, became "depressed because [his friends] heard he had fallen sick." Epaphroditus, who had become sick after being sent to Rome by his friends with provisions for the apostle Paul, perhaps felt he had let his friends down and that they considered him a failure. (Philippians 2:25-27; 4:18) How did the apostle Paul help? He sent Epaphroditus home with a letter to the Philippian friends that said: "Give [Epaphroditus] the customary welcome in the Lord with all joy; and keep holding men of that sort dear." (Philippians 2:28-30) The fact that Paul spoke so highly of him and that the Philippians welcomed him with warmth and affection, surely must have consoled Epaphroditus and helped toward relieving his depression. Without a doubt, the Bible's advice to "speak consolingly to the depressed souls" is the very best. "You need to know that others care about you as a person," said a woman who suffered from depression. "You need to hear someone say, 'I understand; you'll be all right.'" The person who is depressed often needs to take the initiative by seeking out an empathetic person in whom to confide. This one should be a good listener and be very patient. He or she should avoid lecturing the depressed one or making judgmental statements, such as, 'You shouldn't feel like that' or, 'That's the wrong attitude.' The depressed person's emotions are fragile, and such critical comments will only make him feel worse about himself. One who is depressed may feel worthless. (Jonah 4:3) Yet, a person should remember that what really counts is how God values one. Men held Jesus Christ "as of no account," but this did not change his real worth to God. (Isaiah 53:3) Be assured, just as God loves his dear Son, he loves you too.--John 3:16. Jesus pitied those in distress and tried to help them see their individual worth. (Matthew 9:36; 11:28-30; 14:14) He explained that God values even small, insignificant sparrows. "Not one of them goes forgotten before God," he said. How much more does he value humans who try to do his will! Of these Jesus said: "Even the hairs of your heads are all numbered."--Luke 12:6, 7. True, it may be hard for a person who is severely depressed, who is overwhelmed with his weaknesses and shortcomings, to believe that God so highly values him. He may feel certain that he is unworthy of God's love and care. "Our hearts may condemn us," God's Word acknowledges. But is that the determining factor? No it is not. God realizes that sinful humans may think negatively and even condemn themselves. So his Word comforts them: "God is greater than our hearts and knows all things."--1 John 3:19, 20. Yes, our loving heavenly Father sees more than our sins and mistakes. He knows of extenuating circumstances, our whole life course, our motives and intentions. He knows that we inherited sin, sickness, and death and therefore have great limitations. The fact that we feel grieved and vexed with ourselves is in itself proof that we do not want to sin and have not gone too far. The Bible says that we were "subjected to futility" against our will. So God sympathizes with our miserable plight, and he compassionately takes into consideration our weaknesses.--Romans 5:12; 8:20. "Jehovah is merciful and gracious," we are assured. "As far off as the sunrise is from the sunset, so far off from us he has put our transgressions. For he himself well knows the formation of us, remembering that we are dust." (Psalm 103:8, 12, 14) Truly, Jehovah is "the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation."--2 Corinthians 1:3, 4. The help depressed ones need the most comes from drawing close to their merciful God and accepting his invitation to 'throw their burden upon him.' He can indeed "revive the heart of the ones being crushed." (Psalm 55:22; Isaiah 57:15) So God's Word encourages prayer, saying: "Throw all your anxiety upon [Jehovah], because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7) Yes, by means of prayer and supplication persons can draw close to God and enjoy "the peace of God that excels all thought."--Philippians 4:6, 7; Psalm 16:8, 9. Practical adjustments in life-style can also help one overcome a depressed mood. Physical exercise, eating wholesome food, getting fresh air and sufficient rest, and avoiding excessive TV watching are all important. One woman has helped depressed ones by getting them to do vigorous walking. When a depressed lady said: "I don't want to go for a walk," the woman gently but firmly answered: "Yes, you're going." The woman reported: 'We walked four miles [6 km]. When we returned, she was tired, but she felt better. You can't believe how helpful vigorous exercise is until you try it.' However, sometimes it is impossible to defeat depression completely, even when everything has been tried, including medical therapies. "I have tried everything," a middle-aged woman said, "but the depression remains." Similarly, it is now often impossible to heal the blind, the deaf, or the lame. Yet, depressed ones can find comfort and hope by regularly reading God's Word, which provides the certain hope of permanent relief from all human ills.--Romans 12:12; 15:4. When No One Will Be Depressed Again When Jesus described the terrible things coming upon the earth in the last days, he added: "As these things start to occur, raise yourselves erect and lift your heads up, because your deliverance is getting near." (Luke 21:28) Jesus was talking about deliverance into God's righteous new world, where "the creation itself also will be set free from enslavement to corruption and have the glorious freedom of the children of God."--Romans 8:21. What a relief it will be for humankind to be freed of the burdens of the past and to awaken each day with crystal-clear minds, eager to tackle the day's activity! No longer will anyone be hampered by the cloud of depression. The sure promise to mankind is that God "will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away."--Revelation 21:3, 4. Unless otherwise indicated, all Bible quotations are from the New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures.