Ella Marie Fisher Grunewald, 97, of Austin, died Monday, Sept., 26, 2011 at Comforcare Good Samaritan Center.

Marie was born on April 24, 1914, in Carthage, Ill. to Earl and Nellie (Bird) Ellison. On July 1, 1939, she married the love of her life, Henry J. Grunewald, in Warsaw, Ill.. They resided in the Quad Cities and moved to Austin in 1954.

Marie was very hospitable to everyone she met. She enjoyed cooking and loved to spend time with her family. She was very involved in her church and her community.

Marie was a member of St. Edward’s Catholic Church.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Henry, three brothers and one sister.

Marie is survived by her children: Phil (Mary) Grunewald, Rochester, MN; Elizabeth Loescher, Atlanta, Ga.; Nancy Elliott, Winchester, Va.; Jim (Nancy) Grunewald, Austin; 14 grandchildren; 40 great grandchildren; one great great grandchild; many nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 30, at St. Edward’s Catholic Church with Father Jim Steffes officiating. There will be a 5 p.m. CCW Rosary and a 7 p.m. prayer service at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary where friends may call from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday. Friends may also call at the church on Friday for one hour before the service. Interment will be in the Oakwood Cemetery in Hamilton, Ill.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorials to the Good Samaritan Society-Comforcare, Austin.