Ann Marie Grunke

Ann Grunke died peacefully at Quiet Oaks Hospice on April 7, 2026, two and a half years after her pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Ann was born to Cliff and Flora Lundburg of Lakeland, Minnesota, on September 26, 1952. She was a graduate of Stillwater High School, the University of Minnesota and the Masters of Fine Arts Program at Vermont College.

Ann met Fred Grunke, her future husband, at Coffman Memorial Union on the U of M Campus. A few years later she thankfully decided to join him in St. Cloud rather than continue her promising career as a paralegal at a big Minneapolis law firm. It didn’t take long for the couple’s mothers to figure out that both Ann and Fred were delivered by the same doctor. Their forty-eight years together were filled with gardening, camping, politics, the joys and struggles of raising a family, the editing of each other’s writing, and, most importantly, daily laughter.

Ann was an accomplished poet and fiction writer. She was the recipient of a 1996 Minnesota Book Award for her collection of short stories entitled “Revealing the Unknown to a Pair of Lovers.” She also contributed numerous stories and poems to anthologies, literary journals, and national publications.

Ann generously shared her writing skills and exercises by teaching creative writing and journaling at area colleges, high schools, and nursing homes. A significant portion of her teaching was devoted to at-risk girls and residents at Anna Marie’s, where she also volunteered as an advocate.

Ann was a perfectionist. When asked to write a series of gardening columns for a local publication, Ann felt that she didn’t have sufficient credentials. She proceeded to complete the training and volunteer hours necessary to become a Stearns County Master Gardener.

Ann was a loving wife, a nurturing and engaged mother, and a loyal friend to many. She is survived by Fred, her children Sonja, Andrew, and Michael, and her three older siblings. She was preceded in death by her parents and only grandchild, Maria. The Family is sincerely grateful to the providers at Coborn Cancer Center and Mayo Clinic for enabling Ann to travel and spend precious time with family and friends in her final years. We are likewise grateful that Quiet Oaks provided comfort, care, and dignity in her final days.

A visitation will be held at Miller Carlin Funeral Home in St. Cloud from 3-6 PM on Tuesday, April 14th. Ann’s memorial service will be held at Peace United Church of Christ at 11 AM on Wednesday, April 15th.

Memorials preferred to Quiet Oaks Hospice and Peace United Church of Christ, St. Cloud.