Harold “Harry” Francis Greufe, 84, beloved husband, father, brother, and uncle of Poplar went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Thursday, December 5, 2013.
Harry was the youngest of eight children and was born to John Peter Greufe and Julia Lucy Koch Greufe in Lustre, MT on June 15, 1929. He attended school in Lustre. Harry served in the United States Army during the Korean conflict from February 1951 until January 1953. After discharge, he farmed north of Wolf Point for a few years. He then went to mechanic school before he took ownership of the Phillips 66 station in the 1950’s, which happened to be located where the current Poplar Schools bus garage sits today. Throughout his life, dad worked as a mechanic at his own filling stations, the Ford Garage, and the old Farmers Union Oil Company in Poplar. He was also a carpenter, house mover, grain elevator operator and boiler operator. His favorite jobs were driving bus for the BIA Indian firefighters and the Brockton and Poplar schools from which he retired.
In January 1951, he married the love of his life, Myrna Archdale. They had three daughters. Judith Lynn, Suzanne Marie, and Feryl Kaye.
Harry was a devoted family man who created many happy memories for them. Harry enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening in his earlier years. He liked rebuilding motors and general mechanic work. He liked to learn about military history. His favorite sight-seeing vacation spots were Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks, and the Black Hills. Another hobby was observing and learning about geology. He was a fossil collector and an avid coin collector. He loved old model cars and old model trains. Favorite times after church on Sunday were dinners with his family, which he prepared. In later years he had an ongoing rivalry with his son-in-law, John, for best tasting gravy. He served as a deacon for the Assembly of God Church in Poplar, which he attend all his married life.
Harry is survived by his wife Myrna Archdale Greufe of Poplar, daughter Suzanne and husband Courtney Smith of ID, Feryl and husband John Grainger of Helena, MT, grandchildren, Orin, James, and Ryan Alexander, and Rose Clevenger, Luke Bighorn, John D. and Lainie Grainger, and 23 great-grandchildren. Also surviving are two sisters, Mary McEneaney and Leona Braton and numerous nephews and nieces. Other special family members are nieces and nephews, Kathleen Ventura, Linda and John Atchico, Anita and Clyde Bauer, Percy Bear and their families and Larry Greufe. He was preceded in death by his parents, daughter Judith, granddaughter Sherry Lynn Baker, grandsons Royce Anthony Baker and Eric Craft, great-grandchildren Ryan Russell Alexander and Natalie Rose Alexander. Brothers Ralph, Walter, Wilfred, George, and Bernard Greufe, and a nephew Steven McEneaney.
Family viewing will begin at 6:00 p.m and evening services at 7:00 p.m on Wednesday, December 11 th with funeral services on Thursday December 12 th 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at the Poplar Assembly of God church in Poplar with interment at the Poplar City Cemetery. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point has been entrusted with the arrangements and condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.claytonstevensonchapel.com.