Emma M. Greiff, age 104, of Perham, MN, died Tuesday, September 13, 2011, at the Perham Memorial Hospital.
Emma was born on August 9, 1907, in Butler Township, rural New York Mills, MN, the daughter of Hans and Louise (Schmidt) Jorgenson. She graduated from Perham High School. On July 5, 1942, Emma married Leo Greiff in Staples, MN. Emma was a long time greenhouse entrepreneur and truck farm operator. She and her husband, Leo, successfully ran the business that started as a bare bones operation and evolved into a thriving partnership.
Ever vigilant about the quality of their product, Emma also stressed good customer relationships. Her pride and joy was the ever-blooming flower garden and the Fall harvest of vegetables that was presented for sale at the end of the season.
Going through the Depression was a valuable teaching tool. It taught Emma to be frugal and work with the bare minimum from time to time. Many of these attributes have been passed on to her children and grandchildren. Emma enjoyed her life and participated in the Perham Senior Citizens until she was 100 years old. She also enjoyed playing cards, Bingo, visiting with old friends and her family.
Surviving Emma is one son, Roger (Lynn) Greiff, of Sycamore, IL; nine grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren and seven great-great-grandchildren.
Preceding Emma in death are her former husbands, John Debruyn and Leo Greiff; daughters, LaVerne Malm and Darlene Lee and three grandchildren.