The untold story of 'Grandma Grundman'
Thursday, March 23, 1989

Pix #1 - Margaret Kuhn Reimer Grundman photographed on her 105th birthday April 8, 1982 in Lovingston, Va.

(Author's note: \to0day's article was suppoled to be the continuation of the railroad series. It turned out to be a difficult segmet of the series to be completed in time for this week.

consequently, the substitution if about "Grandma Grundman," a resident of Fostoria many years ago, and related to living residents in this area. She died nearly three months ago, but other articles scheduled at that time kept it from appearing in print.

Yes, a short obituary about former fostorian Maggie Kuhn Reimer Grundman appeared in The Rewiew Times, but there's much more to tell about her 110 year life, part of which was lived in fostoria, in the Rowan Apartments on Perry St.

Afterh the death of her husband and other relatives who resided in Fostoria, she went west to be near members of the Kuhn family, including virginia Kuhn clsrk.

Celebrated her 110th birthday

On the occasion of that event, she asked for a acold beer. They gave her a Coors. One does not question the wisdom that so many years bring.

Margaret "Grandma" Grundman attributed her long life to hard work, lots of dancing, lots of coffee, an occasional glass of beer or wine and dauily applications of Pond' cold cream, according to the staff at The Cedars Nursing Home in Charlottesville.

She outlived all seven brothers and sisters and her three childred, according to her granddaughter-in-law, Dorothy Scott. Before her party, "she said she wasn't going to cry ... she was going to grin like the 'cheshire cat'." During the party, attended by other residents of the nursing home where she lived and memebers of her family, she was more interested in eating cake than thalking about her passt.

born in Rushville, Ohio in 1877

Her birth was just 12 years after Lincoln gave his gettysburg Address. She was two months premature, she said, and the doctor told her parents to keep her wrapped up by the stove. She wouldn't breathe, so the doctor went out in the chicken coop and got a festher to stick down her throat to mach her cough and then breathe.

Father was bugle boy in civil War

Mrs. Grundman's son-in-law revealed that her father was a Union bugle boy in the Civil War. Afterh the wasr was over, he had to walk home, from Alabama to Ohio. He later ran a toll-bridge on a turnpike in Ohio, before that kind of road gote its name from the spiked gate that he opened and closed for a living. He moved his family from rushville to Fostoria when his daughter Margaret was eight.

"I get the picture of her as a small child in a very rural part of Ohio on a small farm," Scott said.

Married traveling salesman in 1900

Mrs. Grundman's life story reveals she had not met her husband's parents before marriage -- and it was a surprise to them -- but they all hit it off well. Her family later profited because when she had a hob during the depression years as an interior designer with Sterling and Welch of Cleveland, varioyus cousins came to stay tith them when their family were struggleing to get by. She was a great seamstress, and kept the family looking well-dressed during the Depression.

What was secret of longevity?

A member of her family thought hard work was the main secret for her long life. That was a question that htey asked her a lot. "And dancing" ... she and her husband would go dancing often. "When she came to live at The Cedars in 1985 she danced to soul Train," said Margaret Thacker, activities coordinator. "She got up on Sauurday mornings and danced with the staff."

She outlived her immediate family

When Margaret Grundman died nearly three months ago, she had outlived her husband and three children. She left nine grandchildren, and sicteen great=grandchildren. Other survivors were: Edwin Kuhn, nephew, findlay; James Kuhn, nephew; Orlo Kuhn, nephew, Tiffin; dorothy vanderhoff and Marguerite Hessey, both neices and Fostoria residents.

Grundman's body was cremated and the ashed burried on the family lot at Fountain cemetery. Memorial services were at Wesley Meghodist Church, Rev. Laurence feavor officiating.

On Feb 9, the final note on the lifetime of 110 years for Margaret Grundman came to an end in Fostoria where she had resided for many years, but she will be remember by the living family members and those who have read this lifetime history about her.

Heed God's Word.

Remembering the true meaning of Easter.

"The hearts of christians throughtout the world rejoice in ythe hglorious truth that Jesus Christ was declared to be the son of god with power, according to the spirit of holiness, bu resurrection from the dead. The resurrection was god's sign of approval, and acceptance, of Christ's redemptive work on the cross.

"following His triumphant resurrection He turned to His deciples and said, 'All power is given unto me in heaven and earth. go ye therefore, and teach all nations.' (Matt. 28: 18-19) As the deciples wernt forth preaching the gospel they witnessed His resurrection power in ythe transformation of many lives. On the day of Pentecost 'about three thousans sould' were saved. Shortly after this experience the people gathered to gether once again to hear the apostles teach and preach.

"Luke says, 'they taought the people, and preach ed through Jesus the resurrection from the dead ... and the number of the men was about five thousand' that believed. Bible historians claim that at this time there were about 25,000 men, women and children that accepted christ as Savior. All of them were Jews that had waited for the coming of their Messiah.

"At this Easter season remember 'Salvation is of the Jew' ... and remember our Jewish friends.

PRAISE GOD! "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Corinthians 15:57)

(This portion of Potluck excerpted form a message from Internation Ministries to Israel.)