Leland Gronau

Leland "Lee" E. Gronau, age 83, Watertown, passed away Tuesday, June 4, 2024, at his home in Watertown.

Funeral Services will be Friday, June 14, at 2:00 p.m. at Bethania Lutheran Church in Rosholt with Rev. Nancy Quatier officiating. Music will be provided by organist Ruby Larsen.

Burial will be in the Hillside Cemetery, Rosholt. Military honors will be provided by the Leo American Legion Post 48 of Rosholt and the Read Veflin American Legion Post 180 of New Effington. Pallbearers will be Joe, Kelly, Lee, Mike, Tim, and Ryan Jastram.

Visitation will be Friday one hour prior to the service at the church.

Leland Eugene Gronau was born February 21, 1941, to Fred and Mary (Ringsaker) Gronau in Sisseton, SD.  He attended school in Sisseton, graduating from Sisseton High School in 1959.  Lee then farmed with his dad and on his own.  He later furthered his education in Electronics at Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown.  After finishing school, Lee owned his own electronic repair business.  He was also a member of the South Dakota National Guard.

On June 6, 1981, Lee married Helen (Seefeldt) Jastram.  He was employed at Dakota Tube in Watertown.  Lee and Helen also rented out houses in Watertown that they had purchased.  Helen passed away December 31, 2013.

Lee loved listening to old country music, especially Ray Stevens.  He enjoyed dancing with Helen and later with Maxine and was still dancing quite frequently on a weekly basis before he passed away.  Lee also enjoyed going to yard sales.  He loved outdoor animals, often watching from his living room window.  He always made sure they had a full belly.

Family was very important to Lee.  He always made sure he called everyone for his/her birthday, even all of the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He enjoyed helping Helen pick out gifts for the grandchildren, making sure they were the noisiest gifts he could find. The grandchildren were always the joy of his life.

Survivors include his very special friend, Maxine Dunkel of Watertown; stepchildren, Steve (Nancy) Jastram of Rosholt, Randy (Delores) Jastram of Rosholt, Mike Jastram of Fargo, ND, Chris (Janel) Jastram of Wheaton, MN, Tom (Teresa) Jastram of Sioux Falls, SD, Terry (Carol) Jastram of Fargo, ND, and Cindy (James) Troyer of Bentley, KS; 22 step grandchildren, Kristy Wood, Stacy Dahlman, Wendy Moeller, Joel Jastram, Lee Jastram, Toni Kinsman, Amanda Snyder, Michael Jastram, Seth Jastram, Melissa Smith, Zach Jastram, Sarah Gleason, Ashley Lick, Kelly Jastram, Adam Jastram, Tim Jastram, Nathan Jastram, Ryan Jastram, Ben Jastram, Josh Melius, Nick Melius, and Rachel Pepper; 43 great-grandchildren; and 5 great-great-grandchildren.

Lee was preceded in death by his wife, Helen (Jastram) Gronau; parents, Fred and Mary Gronau; brother, Jerome Gronau; and nephew, Gary Gronau.