PAULINE GRANDSTAFF Indianola Pauline Elizabeth Grandstaff, 83, died on Thursday, November 1, at the Taylor House Hospice in Des Moines, IA. She was born in Harvey, IA, on April 27, 1929. In later years, the family farmed around Rose Hill, IA, where she graduated from high school. She became a bookkeeper in a department store in Newton, IA, where she met Gene Grandstaff. They were married for 58 years, until his death in 2005. During their married life, they lived in Grinnell, Oskaloosa, West Des Moines, Tama, and Indianola, IA. She raised five children and was the glue that held the family together while helping Gene succeed in the grocery business, farm real estate, and the van conversion business. She even learned how to decorate cakes while working in the bakery department at their Super Valu Store in Indianola. Pauline's greatest gifts were her sense of humor and the ability to talk to anyone. She made friends, family, acquaintances, and strangers feel at ease, listened to, and loved. She often joked that in another life, she would be a psychologist. Her favorite pastime was playing games: Scrabble with the two Bettys, Canasta with Kay, Peggy, and Wanda, Texas Hold Em, Jeopardy, et al. on the compute, and doing crossword puzzles. She was an avid Hawkeye football and basketball fan and loved to watch the Los Angeles Lakers. In her younger days, she enjoyed square dancing, belonging to King's Daughters and Eastern Star. Pauline is survived by her sister, Ruth Van Engelenhoven of Oskaloosa, IA; her children: Connie (Larry) Nikkel of Altoona, IA, Jeanne (David) Sigmund of Carlisle, IA, Mark Grandstaff of Indianola, IA, Mary (Doug) Sparks of Ankeny, IA, and Brian (Lisa) Grandstaff of Pocatello, ID; seven grandchildren, five great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Gene Grandstaff, her parents, Ray and Mabel Holdsworth, and her sister Marjorie Allgood. Memorial contributions may be made to the Des Moines Taylor House Hospice or to the Kiya Koda Humane Society of Indianola, IA.
