Nathaniel Grunst

Nathaniel Mark Grunst, a devoted educator and cherished family man, passed away peacefully in Tulsa Oklahoma with his loving family by his side on Saturday, August 31, 2024, at the age of 84. Born on October 27, 1939, in Joliet, Illinois, Nathaniel was the son of Erwin Carl Christian Grunst and Gertrude Louise (Zielke) Grunst.

Nat's life was marked by a deep commitment to education and a love for learning. He attended Concordia College in River Forest, Illinois, where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Education, and met his loving wife Cornelia. He later earned a Master's Degree in Latin from DePaul University in Chicago, and a Certificate of Advanced Study in School Administration from National College of Education in Evanston, Illinois. His passion for teaching led him to a career at Luther High School North, where he served as a high school teacher for almost three decades. He taught Latin, English, Literature, Old Testament, Economics, and Ancient Mediterranean Civilizations. He later transitioned to administrative roles, serving as vice principal and then as superintendent until his retirement near the age of 64. He and his wife retired to Albuquerque, NM where he had spent a portion of his youth. In their retirement, they enjoyed meandering from one topic of interest to the next.

Being a teacher was his greatest gift. He approached each student by truly accepting and appreciating who they were. He expressed his love of learning and teaching in a way that met students where they were, and lifted them up as they made progress. He was the kind of teacher that left an indelibly positive impact on the lives of students who existed across the academic spectrum. His favorite day of the year was ethnic foods day in his Latin class. He asked each student to bring in a classic dish reflecting their ethnic heritage. It was always delicious since the mothers of the students went all out. The upstairs hallway was quite fragrant for a couple hours on those days, to the chagrin of the other teachers.

Nat was blessed with a loving family. He met the love of his life, Cornelia Feiertag, at Concordia. Together, they raised their son Marty, and daughter Cynthia, and spent many vacations visiting extended family. Later in life his greatest joy was his four grandchildren. He also enjoyed traveling with his brother-in-law Paul.

For the last 12 years of his life, Nat lived at Montereau in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he developed many friendships. He formed and led book and poetry study groups, sharing the beauty within great literature. He really liked the workers at Montereau and was elated to see how many of them had immigrated from a wide variety of other countries, from Ukraine to the Philippines to Myanmar to various parts of the Americas. As a result, he formed a group of residents to volunteer teaching English as a second language to any worker interested. He loved this because he was able to make a difference for each of them while also learning about their languages and cultures and food!

Nathaniel was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Cornelia Grunst, and his parents, Erwin and Gertrude Grunst. He is survived by his son Marty Grunst (Karen) plus grandsons Henry and Ethan, and his daughter Cynthia Bednarz (Greg) plus granddaughters Ellie and Daphne. He is also survived by his sister Carol McEndree, her children Kathie Preece and Mark McEndree, and her grandchildren and great grandchildren. He leaves a legacy of love, and interacting with people in a kind and non-judgmental manner that will continue to inspire those who knew him. This was his way of spreading the redemptive blessing of Christ. He was truly a child of God.

A memorial service will take place in Albuquerque on Friday January 3rd at 11:00 AM at Sunset Memorial Park. Please contact Marty or Cynthia if you plan to attend.

Family and friends are invited to leave kind words of comfort, share special memories, and offer condolences to the family online at www.schaudtfuneralservice.com.