Jon K. Groteluschen

AIKEN, SC - Jon Kingdon Groteluschen, loving husband of Mary Ellen (Marelle) Groteluschen, died in Aiken SC on June 2, 2021.  He was 81 years old.

     Jon was born in Manning, Iowa.  He graduated from Manning High School in 1957, received his BA degree from Grinnell College, and earned a MA degree from the University of Kentucky.  He started his career as a school teacher of mathematics.  After two years, he joined the training staff of the Peace Corps Outward Bound Training Center in Puerto Rico.  It was there that he met Marelle Stoltzfus, a Peace Corps trainee headed for Turkey.  Eight months later, he followed her there and they were married in Istanbul, Turkey.  Upon returning to the states, Jon started his career in higher education administration.  He served as Vice President of Business & Finance, first at Carroll University in Waukesha, WI and then at Alma College in Alma, MI.

     Jon was a sports enthusiast who deeply believed in the value of a liberal arts education and critical thinking skills.  He was an avid golfer, winning many tournaments and scoring 8 hole-in-ones.  He also enjoyed tennis, racquetball, downhill skiing, and chess.  He was active in community theatre and appeared in numerous plays in Alma and Aiken.  His favorite passion for recreation was to spend time at his summer cabin at a remote spot on Lake Lauzon, Ontario.  There the family swam, boated, skied, fished, hiked and picked wild berries.  He and Marelle enjoyed this cabin for forty eight years and never missed a summer there.

     Jon was a member of South Aiken Presbyterian Church and Houndslake Country Club.  Previously, he served as President of the Alma Symphony Orchestra and Pine River Country Club in Alma.  He also served on the Board of Directors of Firstbank in Alma, the Presbyterian Home Foundation in WI, and the national Think First Foundation.

     Jon is predeceased by his parents Herb and Dorothy Groteluschen of Audubon, IA.  He is survived by his loving wife Marelle, two daughters Andrea Northwood (Paula) of St Paul, MN and Inga Schmitzer of Tampa, FL, two sisters Janis Buckles and Pamela Bansbach (Louis Phillip III) both of Denver, CO, three grandchildren Greta, Ryan, and Owen Schmitzer of Tampa, FL, and step-grandchild Kris Grant (Andrew) of Oulu, WI and step-great-grandchildren Aurora and Azure Grant.  He was deeply loved by his family and will be sorely missed. 

     The family asks that donations in his memory be made to the Think First Foundation or Carroll University, WI. 

     A memorial service will be held Saturday morning, July 31st at 11 o'clock at South Aiken Presbyterian Church.

SHELLHOUSE – RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC