| Notes |
- LKH note:
From what I can piece together from clues in newspapers, Find a Grave, and census info.
Find a Grave note states he was first married to Billie Avice Foster (1899-1945) and they had two daughters.
1920 census - Long Beach, Los Angles County, Calif.
Wilber C. Gruendike, age 26, b. in Massachusetts, conductor, P.E. RR
wife: Betie [Billie], age 20, daughter Jacqueline.
Unable to locate “Wilbur”, wife or daughter/s in 1930 census. HOWEVER there is this:
1930: William C. Gruendike, age 37, divorced, born in Massachusetts, salesman for oil company. Listed as son living in the household of Kate Gruindike, age 67, b.Illniois. Indication in 1900 census that Wilbur was adopted.
1940 census – Inglewood, Los Angeles County, Calif.
Wilbur C. Gruendike, age 48, b. in Massachusetts, is a saleman for an oil company.
Alma, age 41, b. in Iowa, no occupation listed.
1950 census, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Calif.
Wilbur C. Gruendike, age 56, b. in Massachusetts, divorced, lodger, real estate broker, proprietor of real estate office.
1950 census, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, Calif
1820 Chickasaw
Alma, age 52, born in Iowa, divorced, no occupation listed.
In the US Veterans Administration Master Index
Wilbur Clifford Gruendike
born: 13 Jan 1893
Military service: 13 Jan 1919
Residence: Long Beach, California
death: 31 June 1968 [1960? Typo on Ancestry?]
California Death Index
Wilbur C. Gruendike
born: 14 Jan 1893, Massachusetts
death: 30 Jun 1960, Los Angeles County, Calif.
mother’s maiden name: Holdstad
Meanwhile there is a Bill/William Gruendike. He was a realtor and in newspaper advertisement his name appears as W.C. (Bill) Gurendike. He does not appear in any other records.
The name Bill Gruendike appears at least by 1953 in newspaper ads for real estate. He was a realtor who had his own office at 4809 York Blvd. in Highland Park and in March 1958, moved the office to 4817 York Blvd. News article about him opening a new realty office appeared in the Highland Park News-Herald and Journal on Sunday, 2 March 1958. That new office included Bill and Alma Gruendike and Charles M. Crowe, all from the old office.
Both Bill and Alma appear in the 1950 census living in separate locations and each is listed as divorced. However, in the 1958 news article, they’re both still working out of the same realty office.
[5]
- Local realty official dies on Thursday
Funeral services for William C. Gruendike, vice president of the Northeast Realty Board, were held yesterday afternoon at Eagle Rock’s Utte McKinley Chapel. Interment followed at Forest Lawn Cemetery.
Gruendike died Thursday at the Sawtelle Veterans’ Hospital in Westwood.
He became active in the real estate business in 1941 when he began working with Henry Currath, a prominent Northeast Los Angeles broker.
In 1949 he opened his own office at 4817 York Blvd.
Last year he was elected vice president of the Northeast Realty Board. He had also served as membership chairman for the northern division of the Los Angeles Realty Board.
Besides being active in real estate affairs, Gruendike was active in Masonic work and was a member of a local Christian Science Church.
Highland Park News-Herald and Journal, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. Sunday, 3 July 1960.
[4, 6]
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1893 - 1960 (67 years)
[1, 2, 3] 
: Address
: Location
: City/Town
: County/Shire
: State/Province
: Country
: Not Set