If you type the name
Lottie Grunsky into Google, more than likely you will find page after page
relating to the elementary school in Stockton. What people rarely find, unless
they are searching hard enough, is any information in regards to just who
Lottie Grunsky was.Lottie Fredericka Grunsky was born on March 13, 1853 to Charles Grunsky and Josephine Fredericke Clotilde Camerer, German immigrants who came to Stockton in 1849. Lottie was one of four children. She had two brothers, Carl Ewald, Otto and and a half sister-Anna. Sadly, Lottie's mother died on January 7, 1864, when Lottie was only 11 years old. It seems shortly thereafter Charles married a second time, to a woman named Fredericke Charlotte Louise Camerer, but she died as well in 1874, by the time Lottie was now 21 years old.
In 1870, Lottie, her younger brother Carl Ewald and a young lady by the name of Alice Mills were the very first graduating class of the new Stockton High School. Apparently education was something that Lottie had a passion for, so she became a teacher. She spent over 50 years teaching, most of which was spent in San Joaquin County, although she did spend two years teaching at a Business College in Los Angeles. Despite the fact that she taught various ages of children, she always felt that the younger grades were more suited to her. She never married, but instead dedicated her life to teaching others, and it seems as if she enjoyed every moment of it.
In 1919, a new school
opened on Harding Way. At first the school was going to be named Northeast
Primary School, however the name was changed to honor Ms. Grunsky, changing it
to the Lottie Grunsky Grammar School. Sadly, that building was later demolished
in 1977.On November 26, 1920 around 5:30 pm, Lottie was on a train in Texas en route to Mexico City for the holidays when she succumbed to aortic stenosis and died. The death certificate claimed that her death was instantaneous and that no medical treatment was sought. Her body was brought back to Stockton and buried at the historic Stockton Rural Cemetery in her family plot tucked away from sight.
Until today Lottie didn't even have a listing on Findagrave. I have to say that I was very disappointed that no one, in all this time has ever posted an article online or taken the time to post her memorial on Findagrave until I did so today. Yes, older historic books mention her, but what about today? Has her lifelong dedication to the education of Stockton's children become something not worth remembering? With Lottie being such a famous name within Stockton's history, I was just shocked that she seemed to have been forgotten and I wasn't about to have that!
So here I am today posting this blog in her honor. I have also created her Findagrave memorial so that others can visit her virtual grave, and know where her actual grave is located at in the cemetery as well. Let us never forget the history that Lottie Grunsky helped make, and the young minds that she taught, inspired and encouraged.
Let us never forget Ms. Lottie Grunsky! VISIT HER FINDAGRAVE MEMORIAL HERE!!
(Copyright 2015- J'aime Rubio)
Oakland Tribune, November 27, 1920
Stockton History
Grunsky Elementary Website/SUSD
Family Search.Com
US Census Records
Death Records/Death Certificate
