Joel Grubbe

JOEL GRUBBE
May 5, 1958-February 4, 2019
Memorial Gathering March 3, 2019 Note: Joel's mother, Mary Vasey, made substantial contributions to this post.

Joel Grubbe, of Iowa City and San Jose, Calif., died Feb. 4, 2019, at Mercy Iowa City Hospital Hospice.

He will be missed by family, friends and many care givers for his humor, perseverance and genuine concern for others.

He was uniquely gifted with numerous, wide-ranging interests. Even his musical choices ranged from Mozart and Beatles to punk and dark metal.

Joel was born in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 5, 1958, to Mary Vasey and Bill Grubbe. He traveled the country and lived in Colorado, Utah, Iowa (Cedar Rapids) and California. He worked at the Santa Clara Medical Center while living in San Jose, Calif., for 20 years. Following a serious brain injury in 2010, he returned with his cat, Mindy, to family in Iowa (Iowa City) and its university hospital.

He is survived by his mother, Mary Vasey and her dozens of cousins; stepfather, Nicholas Johnson and Nick's sister Kate; brothers, Jason Grubbe, Karl Grubbe and Karl's wife, Carol; nephew Alec Grubbe and niece, Claire Schuerman; aunt Dora Lee Larson and Donna Sims; uncle Dan Vasey and wife Greer (daughter Natasha Vasey Ellis and husband, Timothy Vasey-Ellis, and grandchildren Celeste, Sebastian, and Hugo; and son Gregory Alex-Vasey and wife, Effie Alex-Vasey). Joel's surviving stepsiblings are Julie Johnson (and daughters Laura and her husband Francisco, Sara, and grandchildren Nia, Adrian and Isaac); Sherman Johnson and wife Pati; Greg Johnson and wife Makur; and Alex Johnson Lavidge. Joel's much-beloved cat, Mindy, is also a survivor.

Joel was preceded in death by his father, Bill Grubbe, sister, Robin Grubbe, and uncle Steve Vasey.

There will be a celebration of Joel's life on March 3; details below.

In remembrance of Joel, the family suggests donations to Iowa City Hospice, Mercy Hospice Care Unit, Brain Injury Alliance of Iowa or your favorite charity.

[See two more pictures, plus comments from Karl Grubbe and Jason Grubbe, below.] _______________
Notes:

1. Memorial Gathering, Sunday, March 3, 2019, Uptown Bill's, 730 South Dubuque St., Iowa City, Iowa.
Uptown Bill’s was a place where Joel participated in support groups, enjoyed concerts, art activities, and trying exotic soda pop or Jason's famous milk shakes in the coffee house. Because Uptown Bill's was so important to Joel, as it is for many others, the family feels it is a good place to celebrate his life.

There will be a memorial service at 2:00 p.m.. Friends are also invited to drop by any time between 3:00 and 4:30 to spend time with friends and family and remember Joel.

Sunday parking is available across the street from Uptown Bill's in a University parking lot.

2. Mary Vasey prepared and submitted the obituary that appeared in The Gazette online and in the print edition February 8, 2019, p. A9. The version above is a slightly altered version of the one in The Gazette. The following week her shorter version appeared in the Iowa City Press-Citizen and is reproduced in Note 4, immediately below.

3. A tribute to Joel's father, Bill Grubbe, also appears in this blog: "In Memoriam: Bill Grubbe," October 3, 2006.

4. The Iowa City Press-Citizen Joel Grubbe obituary.

Joel Grubbe
Iowa City. Joel Grubbe died Feb. 4, 2019, at Mercy Iowa City Hospital Hospice.

He will be missed by family, friends and many care givers for his humor, perseverance and genuine concern for others.

Joel was born in Colorado Springs, Colo., May 5, 1958, to Mary Vasey and Bill Grubbe. He is survived by his mother, Mary Vasey, Stepfather, Nicholas Johnson and brothers Jason and Karl Grubbe.

For details email maryvasey@yahoo.com
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Source: Joel Grubbe, Iowa City Press-Citizen online, Feb. 13, 2019 (click on "Read More"), with link to Legacy.com (which includes The Gazette obituary), and Press-Citizen print edition February 13, 2019, p. A2, .

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