Mrs J L McGrath Mrs. John L. McGrath, 56 of 555 9th Ave. South, a native of Clinton, died at 2:05 p.m. Friday in Mercy hospital, following a lingering illness. She entered the hospital August 5. Services will be held at 9 a.m. Monday in St Mary's Catholic church with the Rt. Rev. Msgr. T. F. Galligan, pastor, celebrating a requiem high mass. Interment will be in St. Mary's cemetery. The body is in the Delaney funeral home where friends may call. Mrs. McGrath was born July 29, 1890 in Clinton a faithful member of St. Mary's church, she also belonged to the Altar and Rosary Society and Daughters of Isabella. Survivors are her husband, one daughter, Marilyn, and a brother David McGraw, Los Angeles, California. Her parents are dead. Clinton Herald September 28, 1946 William D McGrath William D. McGrath, 71, of 219 6th Ave. S., a retired Chicago and Northwestern Railway brakeman, died shortly after admittance this morning at Mercy hospital. Services will be held Friday in the Snyder Schmitz funeral home, the time to be announced later. Visitation will begin at 2 p.m. Thursday. burial will be in St. Mary,s cemetery. Because of Holy week, the funeral Mass will not be held until Monday morning. Mr. McGrath was born May 14, 1895 in Clinton, the son of James T. and Elizabeth Lillis McGrath. He was an army veteran of World War 1. He entered the employ of the North Western railroad in 1924 and retired July 1, 1960. He later was employed in local theaters. Mr. McGrath is survived by one brother John L. McGrath a niece, Mrs. Raymond Jorgensen, both of Clinton, and several cousins. He was a member of Jim Van Meter Post 190 American Legion, and a 30 year member of the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen. Clinton Herald March 22, 1967 McGrath-Furlong The marriage of Mathias McGrath and Miss Agnes Furlong was solemnized at St. Mary's church Wednesday evening, in the presence of a large number of friends, Rev. E. J. McLauglin officiating. Promptly at 6:30 to the sweet sound of Mendleson's wedding march, executed by Prof. Borborka, the bridal party entered the church and took their place at the chancel rail. The attractive bride wore a beautiful white silk with pearl trimming, the bridal veil being fastened with a diamond ring. Miss Margaret Hennessey did the honors of bridesmaid and wore a dress of blue silk, with pale blue chiffon trimming and carried Marchall Neil?? John McGrath, brother of the groom acted as best man, both of the men wearing the conventional. Will Shannon and Will Mc____ were ushers. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the wedding party repaired to the home of the brides sister on ___Tenth Ave. where a reception was held until 9;30, an elegant meal was being served. The decorations were simple and pretty, consisting of cut flowers, smilax and golden____ tastefully arranged. Both bride and groom are popular young people in this city, and their host of friends extend congratulations. A number of beautiful presents were left as a momento of the occasion. Mr. and Mrs. McGrath left on the night train for St. Paul and other northern points, and plan to be absent for three weeks. The guests present from out of town were: Mrs. J. B. Williams, Mr. Donahue, Miss Rose Furlong, James Furlong, all of Chicago. No dates anywhere. Retyped 1995 by Lyman Morrison At http://www.rootsweb.com/~iaclinto/news/c_age/ca/M.txt is the following index entry for the Clinton Daily Age: Fri Sept 20 1895 (apparently the publication date) McGRATH Mathias Leon & Agnes Marie Furlong Married-Wed at St. Mary's-best man-bro John McGrath and 10 Sep 1895 McGRATH, Mathias Leonard & Agnes Marie Furlong Marriage-18 Sep Agnes Marie McGrath, nee Furlong Agnes Marie McGrath, nee Furlong, beloved wife of the rate Mathias, dear mother of Margaret Mary Grentzner, and T/S. Edwin J. McGrath, U. S. A. Member of St. Mel's branch, No. 502, L. C. B. A. Funeral from chapel, 4138 Madison street, Thursday at 10 a.m., to St. Mel's church. Interment Mount Carmel. Clinton, Ia., papers please copy. Chicago Tribune (IL) Date: August 09, 1950 Mrs. Margaret Mary Grentzner Mass for Mrs. Margaret Mary Grentzner, 64, of 5423 West, End av., will be said at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow in St. Lucy's Catholic church, 440 N. Mayfield av. She died Friday in West Suburban hospital, Oak Park. She was an auditor for American Air Lines, Inc., for 24 years. Mrs. Grentzner is survived by a son, Lt. John C. Grentzner of the police internal investigation division; and a grandson. Chicago Tribune (IL) Date: September 22, 1968 Margaret Mary Grentzner, nee McGrath Margaret Mary Grentzner, nee McGrath, dear mother of Lt. John C., C. P. D.; fond sister of Edwin; mother-in-law of Alverna L.; grandmother of Gary [Sandra]. Funeral Monday, 9 a.m., from Wm. C. Smith & Sons, 2500 N. Cicero avenue, to St. Lucy church. Interment Mount Carmel. Visitation after 4 p.m. Saturday. 237-8070. Chicago Tribune (IL) Date: September 21, 1968 John Grentzner Veteran, heroic cop John Grentzner was a brilliant man who rose to Chicago police captain in just 11 years. He was a brave man who was on the force only two years when he won the Lambert Tree award for heroism. Mr. Grentzner was off duty on July 14, 1961, when he saw police cars converging on a Humboldt Park apartment building. He rushed to see if he could help and found out a man was inside, holding a woman and two children hostage while firing through the window at police in the street. There were none of today's sophisticated hostage-negotiation teams. Mr. Grentzner raced to the rear of the apartment, burst in and yelled at the man, "Drop your gun." Instead, Lloyd Meyrick pointed his gun at Mr. Grentzner, who shot, striking Meyrick in the head. The woman and children ran out of the building to safety. Mr. Grentzner died Nov. 16 at a friend's home in Arlington Heights. He was 75. He was born in Chicago and grew up in the Austin neighborhood, where he was an altar boy at Our Lady Help of Christians Church, and a Boy Scout. When he graduated from Austin High School in 1945 he entered the Marines, serving for two years. Then he earned an associate's degree from the University of Illinois at Navy Pier. He was called back to the Marines in 1950-51 during the Korean War. Mr. Grentzner opened four hobby shops and did photography on the side before joining the police force in 1959. He was one of the top 10 scholars in the police academy that year, and in 1963 was the top scorer among 500 officers taking the exam to become a detective. He helped revamp the beat system in 1962, drawing new boundaries to distribute the work load more evenly. Taking courses when he could, he earned a bachelor of arts degree from DePaul University in 1976 and a master's degree in public service two years later. He also attended the Traffic Institute at Northwestern University. He started in the patrol division, then worked in planning, training and internal affairs before becoming a captain in 1970. He served in several police districts, retiring in 1990 from the Town Hall district. He was a tall man with an outgoing disposition who could turn intimidating when the situation warranted. He was noted for his puns and one-liners. When a captain, he would tell his officers, "I tell 'em, you laugh." His close friend Judy Johnson-Emerson said after Mr. Grentzner retired, he would go to breakfast with other former police officers. "He'd tell the stories, they'd say 'We don't have to laugh now,' and then they'd howl with laughter," she said. One Halloween, officers in the Town Hall District were ordered to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters, who quickly lined up outside squad cars. Sun-Times reporter Tom Seibel asked what the motive was for handing out candy to kids. "Motive, who needs a motive? All you need to do is spread good will," Mr. Grentzner said. He was an early expert with computers, loved to take people for rides in his powerboat on Lake Michigan, and traveled the world with police groups after retirement in 1990. Survivors include Johnson-Emerson and Mr. Grentzner's cousins Stephen, Kevin, Thomas, Eileen and Robert McGrath. Services were Friday. Chicago Sun-Times (IL) Date: November 26, 2002 Author: Brenda Warner Rotzoll Page: 65 JOHN GRENTZNER, 75 Chicago police captain earned bravery award John Grentzner, 75, of Chicago, a retired police captain who received one of the department's highest honors for bravery after freeing a woman and two children held hostage by a gunman, died of cardiovascular disease Saturday, Nov. 16, in a friend's home in Arlington Heights. Mr. Grentzner earned the Lambert Tree Award in 1962 after he entered a North Side apartment and shot the gunman, allowing the hostages to run to safety. Chicago Police Officer Nadine Burke was with Mr. Grentzner during a similar hostage situation in 1987, and she recalls holding her breath before Mr. Grentzner kicked down the door. "He picked the exact, precise moment to enter, because that guy had a knife to his wife's throat," she said. "He had a sixth sense about police work." It wasn't his first choice as a career. Mr. Grentzner owned four hobby shops in Chicago and had no intention of becoming a police officer when he accompanied a friend to a police officer exam in the late 1950s. He decided, on a whim, to take the test, said his former colleague, Town Hall District Officer Bob Miller. Mr. Grentzner became a patrol officer in 1959 and four years later earned the top score among 500 officers on an exam to become a police detective. He grew up in Chicago, graduated from Austin High School, and joined the U.S. Marines during World War II. He took courses at the University of Illinois at Navy Pier and worked as a photographer and an auditor before the Marines called him back during the Korean War. In 1976, he earned a bachelor of arts degree and two years later a graduate degree, both from DePaul University. He became a police captain in 1970 and served in several Chicago districts before retiring from the Town Hall District in 1990. He was known by fellow officers for his one-liners, "the kind of jokes that would make you groan," Miller said. Once, when a woman went into the station complaining of a bump on her foreign car, Mr. Grentzner told her, "I don't want to hear any Saab stories." He wore police badge No. 101, which he said stood for "one-oh-wonderful." His marriage ended in divorce in the 1960s. Survivors include his longtime companion, Judy Emerson; and a stepson, Gary Lange. Funeral services have been held. Chicago Tribune (IL) Date: November 29, 2002 Edition: Final Page: 6 GRENTZNER, JOHN John Grentzner, 75, of Chicago, retired Capt. C.P.D., U.S.M.C. WWII Korea, fond cousin of Stephen, Kevin, Thomas, Eileen and Robert McGrath; dear friend of Judy Johnson-Emerson. Memorial Service Friday 10:30 a.m. at Glueckert Funeral Home, Ltd., 1520 N. Arlington Heights Rd. (4 blocks south of Palatine Rd.), Arlington Heights. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to Chicago Police Gold Star Families. Info, 847-253-0168 . Chicago Tribune (IL) Date: November 20, 2002 Edition: North Sports Final Page: 10 [ These appear to be grandparents of the same John Grentzner indicating John's father was name Clarence. DJN.] Mary Grentzner Mary Grentzner, beloved wife of the late Adolph; loving mother of Clarence A.; fond sister of Molly Fagan and Cecilia Smith Berger of Pittsburgh, Pa.; grandmother of John C. Grentzner. Funeral Monday, 9 a.m., from The Montclair Funeral Home, 6901 W. Belmont avenue, to Queen of All Saints' Basilica church. Interment local cemetery. NA 2-9300. Chicago Tribune (IL) Date: April 25, 1966 Adolph Grentzner Adolph Grentzner, beloved husband of Mary; fond father of Clarence A.; grandfather of John C. Service Tuesday, Sept. 20, 10:30 a.m., at funeral home, 6901 Roosevelt road. Interment Woodlawn. ST 8-0904. Chicago Tribune (IL) Date: September 19, 1960