Natalina “Emma” Grno, age 90 of Kenosha, passed away on Friday, November 22, 2019, at Hospice Alliance, Inc./Hospice House in Pleasant Prairie.
Born on December 21, 1928, she was the daughter of the late Louis and Amelia (D’Ambrsio) Faraca. She attended local schools and graduated from Mary D. Bradford High School, Class of 1947. She furthered her education and graduated from UW Parkside in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in English and Women’s Studies.
Emma met the love of her life, Charles “Bob” Grno at Art’s Lunch Box, where she was a waitress. After Bob’s persistent courtship, they were married on October 29, 1949 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Their union was blessed with 65 years of marriage; sadly, Bob passed away on May 31, 2015.
She worked for Kenosha Unified School District as secretary at Washington Junior High and Bose Elementary for over 40 years. She was a great joke teller and an avid reader. Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune made her day. She was a whiz on her iPad and played Word with people across the country. Organizations she belonged to included Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Alter Society and Catholic Women’s Club. She also served as a Girl Scout Leader 1964-1967.
Emma participated in the retired secretary’s breakfast club, Washington Jr. High Retiree breakfast group, Bose Elementary Luncheon group, SkiNoshians, Angie Ventura’s dinner club, Novel Brunch Monthly Reading Club and was a lifetime member of the Bradford Alumni Association. Emma received awards as a Bose PTA Volunteer Award, Kenosha Unified Distinguished Service Award, University of Wisconsin Outstanding Award in English and the Bose School Good Citizenship Award.
Emma will forever be in the hearts of those she loved, especially her three daughters: Dr. Jeanne (Raul) Medina of Milwaukee, Joanne Boysen of CO and Joy (Douglas Czerwinski) Lane of Verona; her nine grandchildren:, Matthew, Meryl and Martin Medina, Jill Ingenito, Joseph Boysen, Jenny Dahl, Michael Lane, Lindsay Stenson and Robbie Lane; her eleven precious great-grandchildren; and many loving nieces and nephews.
Along with her parents and husband, Bob; Emma was preceded in death by her siblings, Mary, Rose, Art, Emil and Ida.
Funeral Services honoring Emma’s life will be held on Wednesday, November 27, 2019. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00AM at Holy Rosary Catholic Church (2224 45th Street). Relatives and friends are asked to meet at the church for the Mass. Entombment will follow in Sunset Ridge Memorial Park. A visitation will be held at the Piasecki Funeral Home on Tuesday, November 26th from 4:00PM and concluding with a rosary at 7:00PM.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to Hospice Alliance, Inc. (10220 Prairie Ridge Blvd., Pleasant Prairie, WI, 53168) would be appreciated by the family.
Published in the Kenosha News on Tuesday, November 26, 2019