Olga “Grandma O” Strauch nee Groh Born 3/2/1914 died 3/11/2016 Loving wife of the late Robert; Dear mother of Philip (Susan) and Mark (Karen); Beloved grandmother of Paul (Cindy), Drew (Kim), Todd and Adam; Sweet great grandmother of Dyllan, Kamryn, and Sebastian; Preceded in death by her siblings and sister- and brother-in-law: Mary (William) Rietschel, Emma (Otto) Schwochow, Reinholdt (Lucille) Groh, Edward (Marilyn) Groh, Helen (Joseph) Stier, and Erwin (Rose) Strauch. Loving aunt and great-aunt to many.
Olga grew up in Chicago on Mozart St. She met Bob Strauch through their church youth group. Olga worked as a switchboard operator at Bally Manufacturing. They married just before Bob entered WWII.
They moved to Mount Prospect in 1955 where she lived until 2003.
After moving to Mount Prospect Olga resumed her career, working as a secretary and receptionist. She was very active in church groups at St. Paul. Olga was an avid bridge player. “Grandma-O” read to St. Paul first graders for over 15 years until “retiring” at 96. She was renowned there and in her neighborhood for her Swedish shortbread cookies, fabulous pies, cake rolls, and cream puffs.
Olga and Bob also hosted terrific 4th of July parties for friends and family. She was an active docent for The Mount Prospect Historical Society for a number of years.
Finally, Olga was extremely proud of the tree sculpture that was made from the trunk of the elm tree which majestically adorned her front yard.
Before it finally succumbed to Dutch elm disease, she and Bob convinced the Public Works Department to make many extreme efforts over a number of years to save it. The sculpture was on display in the park next to Cappanari’s Ice Cream Shop. She is gone from this earth but will never be forgotten.
Visitation Monday 4:00 – 8:00 PM at Friedrichs Funeral Home, 320 W. Central rd., at Northwest Hwy., Mt. Prospect. Services Tuesday 10:30 AM at the Funeral Home. Interment St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Paul LutheranChurch, 100 S. School St., Mt. Prospect, IL 60056 or the Jimmy V Foundation @ www.jimmyv.org