Grow, William E. 'Bill'

William E. “Bill” Grow, 80, of Cottage Grove Place, passed away Wednesday, Aug. 11, 2010, after an extended illness. Services: 1 p.m. Sunday at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories, with military rites. The Rev. Donald Bruggeman will officiate. Entombment: Cedar Memorial Park Mausoleum. Friends may call at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home from 2 to 5 p.m. today.

Survivors include his daughter, Jill Runde Voss and her husband, Tom, of Hiawatha; a son, Scott and his wife, Jolene, of Arvada, Colo.; brother, Donald of Cedar Rapids; grandchildren, Billy Grow of Dillon, Colo., Elise Runde Voss of New York and Maddie and Derrick Voss of Hiawatha.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife; and a son-in-law, Loren Runde.

Bill was born May 29, 1930, in Cedar Rapids, the son of Lloyd and Helen Petersen Grow. He graduated in 1950 from McKinley High School, where he not only excelled scholastically but in every sport he participated in. Bill married Vera A. Vitek on Dec. 23, 1951, in Cedar Rapids. She passed away in 2008.

Bill, along with his wife, owned and operated Bill Grow TV from 1953 until his retirement in 1992.

After retirement he could be found in the kitchen cooking and baking tasty treats. He was a member of VFW Post 788 and proudly served in the Army during the Korean War. He enjoyed league bowling, fishing, gardening and especially the time spent with family and friends at their cabin on Lake Delhi. Bill liked to tinker and could fix just about anything.

He was a loving husband, father, brother, grandfather and friend who will always be remembered.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given in Bill's memory to Camp Courageous.

Please leave a message or tribute to the Grow family on the web page,   under obituaries.

The family would like to extend a special “Thank You” to Cottage Grove Place and St. Luke's Hospice for the excellent care and compassion they have shown to the family. They would also like to thank Don Grow, Paul and Nancy Jerabek, all the families from Omaha, Joanne Holmes and Pat Bilsand for the support, thoughtfulness and help they have offered the family.