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Beatrice Wayne Gruen

Beatrice Wayne Gruen, 93, of Clive, formerly of Urbandale, passed away on May 6, 2024. Beatrice was born in Wayne, Oklahoma on July 25, 1930, to Russian immigrants Harry Drozansky and Ethel Goldman Drozansky. Ethel passed in 1938 and Harry in 1945 leaving her an orphan at the age of 14. She stayed with aunts and uncles until graduating high school from University City High in St. Louis in 1948.


Beatrice and Gerry Gruen, a German raised Holocaust survivor, met at a Jewish Community Center dance. They were married in 1951 prior to Gerry enlisting in the army and spent time overseas in Europe with him during his deployment. Bea returned to St. Louis expecting her first child, Allan and Gerry joined her 5 days before the birth. He received an honorable discharge 9 days later and became a naturalized citizen in June of 1953. They moved to Des Moines, Iowa, where Beatrice lived for the next 70 years.


Bea was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Gerry and her son Stan, of Des Moines, Iowa. She is survived by two sons Allan (Debra) and Douglas (Jane). Loving grandmother to Adam (Tracy) Gruen, Jason (Zoe) Gruen, Amanda (Craig) Regester and Grant (McKenzie) Gruen and great grandmother of 7. Private family services and interment at Veteran’s Memorial Cemetery in Van Meter, Ia.  In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your favorite charity in her name




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