Burton D. Gronli

Burton D. Gronli, 93, of New London, died Thursday, June 6, 2019 at GlenOaks Care Center in New London.  Funeral services will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, June 14, 2019 at the Willmar Assembly of God in Willmar.  Visitation will be from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Johnson Funeral Home in New London and for one hour prior to the service at church.  Burial will be in the Spicer City Cemetery.                            

Burton David Gronli was born on July 29, 1925, at his home in rural Hawick, the son of Jens and Sena (Monson) Gronli.  He grew up on the family farm, attended Roseville Township country school, and New London High School.  In 1943, Burton enlisted in the US Army and served in the Alaskan Aleutian Islands during WWII.  After his military service, he returned home and worked for five years as an auto mechanic for Holm Brothers in New London, and then for Halvorson Implement Co. in Spicer until 1985 when he started Town & Country Tire in Spicer where he worked with his sons until retiring.  On August 29, 1949, Burton was united in marriage to Inez Valeria Wegner at the Paynesville Gospel Tabernacle by Rev. Thomas G. Skoog.  They made their home south of Hawick, and later he self-constructed a new home in New London.  Burton and Inez were married for 62 years and blessed to raise four sons.  He followed his sons’ sports careers avidly, especially enjoying basketball.  After his boys graduated high school, he continued attending as many basketball games as he could.  He was an active lifelong member of the Willmar Assemblies of God Church where he served for a time as a board member.  Burton enjoyed farming the family farm, hunting, fishing, remodeling construction, and restoring many old antique tractors, pop engines, cars, and trucks.  He recounted many stories in vivid detail from his early boyhood days of doing fieldwork with horse-drawn equipment, working with harvest crews, decades of farm equipment, and the many people he worked with in the Roseville Township farming community.  Most recently, Burton was a resident at Glen Oaks Nursing Home in New London.

He is survived by his four children: Darrell (Renae) Gronli of St. Louis Park, Bradley (Jane) Gronli of Princeton, Steven (Helen) Gronli of Spicer, Kevin (Beth) Gronli of Spicer; eleven grandchildren: Nathan Gronli, Krista Gronli, Laura (Jeff) Feigal, Tait Gronli, Tyler (Mandy) Gronli, Tessa (Grady) Milesko, Janessa (Brian) Pierzina, Lucas (Bre) Gronli, Adam (Amy) Gronli, Andrew (Jessica) Gronli, Kara Gronli; and great grandchildren: Paizli, Amelia, Colton, Lincoln, Evelyn;  sister: Helen (Gordon) Glenz, and brother-in-law: Virgil Wegner; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Jens and Sena Gronli, his wife Inez, in 2011; brothers, and sisters-in-law; (infant) Jens Gronli, James & Janet Gronli, Gordon & Betty Gronli, Von Wegner, and other relatives.

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