Marian Starke Gruber

Marian Elizabeth Loretta Starke Gruber was born on January 7, 1926 at the Starke family’s first home west of Myra on the property where the Martin Trubenbach MISD AG Center now stands.  She was the third child of eleven, and the oldest daughter of Joseph and Anna (Schettler) Starke.  Marian grew up on the Starke home place 7 miles northwest of Muenster, where the family moved when she was around 2 years old.  As the oldest daughter, growing up on the farm during the Depression meant lots of hard work, milking cows on cold mornings, working in the garden, picking cotton, cooking, cleaning, and washing for a big family.  Marian attended school at Copper Switch Country School from 1st to 5th grade, with a short time riding horseback behind her oldest brother, Robert, to attend Sacred Heart School during the fall of her 4th grade year for her First Holy Communion preparations.  She later again continued at Sacred Heart from 6th grade until her graduation from Sacred Heart High School in 1944 from the “Tin Can University”, the old metal building west of the main school building.
After graduation she moved to town and lived with Annie Hellman while working at the Relax Movie Theater and began employment at the Muenster State Bank in 1947 where she worked for 17 years.
On August 13, 1960 she married Robert S. Gruber, the son of Fred J. and Clara Gruber, at Sacred Heart Church in Muenster.  That same month, after returning from their honeymoon to Florida, she and Robert opened Lindsay Liquors on Hwy 82.  The two owned and operated their business for 25 years, she retired in 1976.  Following retirement, Marian enjoyed spending her time making quilts, gardening, playing bridge and dominos, and traveling, spending several winters in south Texas.  During their travels, she visited every state except Alaska.    Marian was a member of St. Peter’s Parish for 62 years.
Mrs. Gruber passed after a 24-hour admittance to North Texas Medical Center in Gainesville.  As she had hoped, she was able to remain living at her home, until the day before her passing.

Mrs. Gruber is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Annette & Joe Schmitz of Lindsay; daughter, Alice Margaret Gruber of Lindsay, sisters, Jo Ann Snyder of San Jose, California, Mildred Miller of Columbus, Georgia, and her brother and sister-in-law, Henry and Margie Starke of Muenster, and brother-in-law, Leonard Pfaff of Colorado, and 15 nieces & nephews.
She was proceeded in death by her husband of 51 years, Robert Gruber in 2012, her parents, her four brothers, Robert Starke, Joe Starke Jr, Daniel Starke, Edward Starke, her sister and brother-in-law, Irma & Vincent Forrester of Saint Jo, sister and brother-in-law Ella & Vincent Taylor of Lakewood, Colorado, sister LaVerna Pfaff of Lakewood, Colorado, and brothers-in-law Belden Snyder of San Jose, California, Robert Miller of Hemet, California, and brothers-in-law Bill Gruber, Randy Gruber, and Harold Gruber, and her sister-in-law, Margaret M. Gruber.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Sacred Heart School in Muenster or Noah’s Ark of Gainesville.

Tuesday December 20, 2022
6pm Rosary & Visitation
Geo J Carroll Funeral Home
602 Lindsay St, Gainesville

Wednesday December 21, 2022
10am Mass at St Peter’s Church
424 West Main St, Lindsay
Burial to follow in St Peter’s Cemetery in Lindsay.

Mass Officiant Fr Sam Maul
Pallbearers:  Kevin Block, Tic Block
John Hermes, Nathan Hermes
Mark Forrester, Michael Forrester