Josephine Stenson Grund

Josephine Stenson Grund, 90, a vivacious, outgoing mother of five and devoted wife, passed away peacefully at The Palms of Venice in the early hours of February 7, 2026. Born in Chicago on May 18, 1935, to Mary (O’Farrell) and Thomas Stenson, she was the eldest of six children and grew up in the Cheltenham neighborhood of South Chicago.

At eighteen, Josephine graduated from Mercy High School and began work as a typist at M. & M. Lane & Company, a steel brokerage firm in downtown Chicago. She quickly rose to office manager, overseeing a staff of seven salespeople. Soon after, she married Joseph R. Grund at Our Lady of Peace Church, and the couple welcomed their first son, Joe, within their first year of marriage. Pregnant with their second son, Dan, Josephine left her position to focus on raising her growing family, eventually moving out of the city to build a life centered on her children.

The Grund family continued to grow with the births of their third son, Frank, their daughter, Heidi, and their youngest son, George. They lived throughout the northwest region of Illinois before settling in Woodstock, where Josephine immersed herself in community life. She volunteered with the American Cancer Society, played piano, studied French, and pursued her passion for writing. As an independent journalist, her work appeared in the Palm Beach Post, The Door County Advocate, the New Jersey Herald, and other publications.

In her later years, Josephine divided her time between summers in Door County, Wisconsin, and winters in Venice, Florida, where she served as president of the local French Club. Her love of travel—often chronicled in her published writings—took her to far‑flung destinations including Vietnam and Mongolia. She delighted in painting, writing, and baking, and her children fondly remember the daily loaf of sourdough bread she made by hand.

Josephine was predeceased by her husband, Joe Sr., and her son Frank. She is survived by her children Joe, Dan, Heidi, and George; her grandchildren Daniel, Michael, Patrick, and Reggie; and her great‑grandchild, Dan III. She leaves behind a legacy of curiosity, creativity, and unwavering love for her family.