Arlene Loretta (Koebbe) Grau, age 92, long time resident of Chelsea, passed away on July 17, 2023 at her home in Freedom Twp, MI. Arlene was born on May 1, 1931 in Detroit, MI, the daughter of Emerson and Loretta (Heim) Koebbe. Arlene grew up in Dearborn and moved to Chelsea when she was 18 years old.
In the ninth grade, she said that she wanted to marry a farmer and have 12 kids. On December 18, 1948, she married Alton A. Grau, and they enjoyed 71 years of marriage. They were blessed with six children. Arlene was a member of Zion Lutheran Church in Chelsea, where she was baptized and confirmed on September 18, 1950. She was very active in the church community, serving as an altar guild member, a Sunday School teacher, a member of the Women of Zion, and a Funeral Committee volunteer. In November 2016, she was awarded Faithful Servant of the Year at Zion. She was a talented seamstress, and volunteered her sewing time and talent for L.W.R. (Lutheran World Relief). She loved and was grateful for her family and friends, her church, her farming life, and the community she lived in.
Arlene is survived by her children, Cheryl (Sam) Dimon of New York, Susan (Alan) Cohen of New Jersey, Michael (Lynne Knowlton) Grau of California, Timothy (Debra) Grau of Kentucky, Christopher Grau of Chelsea, and son-in-law, Ken Carty of Waterloo Twp.; 13 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren; brother-in-law, James Grau of Chelsea, as well as several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Alton A. Grau, daughter, Judith Grau, three brothers, Duane, Clair, and Melvin Koebbe, two sisters, Audrey Sisco, and Marilyn Boutet.
Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, July 22, 2023,1:00 p.m., at Zion Lutheran Church in Chelsea with Pastor Kurt Hutchens officiating. Burial will follow at Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery in Freedom Township, MI.
Visitation will be held at the Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home on Friday, July 21, 2023 from 5-7 p.m. , also at the church on Saturday from 12:00 p.m. until the time of service.
Memorial contributions may be made to Zion Lutheran Church.
Arrangements by Staffan-Mitchell Funeral Home, Chelsea.
