Birthdays

Grothusens celebrate birthdays

December is birthday month for Dorothy Neuschafer Grothusen, 95, and Dale Grothusen, 99.

Both were born in rural Ellsworth county; Dorothy, Dec. 1, 1922, and Dale, Dec. 17, 1918.

They were married June, 30, 1945, in Seattle, Wash., after Dale returned from service in WWII. He had completed 51 combat missions in Europe on the crew of B-17 bombers with the US Army Air Force.

The Grothusens farmed near Ellsworth for 70 years, running a wheat farm-cattle stock operation. Dale especially enjoyed projects in his machine shop.

Dorothy was a column writer/photographer for the Ellsworth Reporter and later, the Ellsworth County Independent-Reporter. Her article and photo about an Ellsworth centenarian, Mildred Holt, prompted Johnny Carson’s Tonight Show to invite Mrs. Holt to make a guest appearance on the TV show. Dorothy also placed World Book Encyclopedias in many Ellsworth area homes, schools and libraries as a sales representative. For many years she moderated the Ellsworth County Spelling Bee.

The Grothusens are long time polka dancing enthusiasts. Their three children are Marsha, Dallas, Texas; Ruth, Eugene, Ore.; and Bill, Phoenix, Ariz.

The Grothusens reside at 2251 E. Crawford, Apt. 123, Salina, Kan. 67401.

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