Walter Wolfgang Gruss

Walter W. Gruss, 77, of Hendersonville passed away, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2013, at the Elizabeth House Hospice.

Walter was born in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1936 to the late Theodore Gruss and Lina Grimm. Walter married his wife Hannelore in 1961. After becoming a mechanical engineer and working in Germany for 20 years, they immigrated to the United States in 1975 to work at the Hendersonville Kyocera Plant. Following a successful career in the ceramics industry, he retired from Komet USA as VP of Sales and Marketing. After retirement, he led the German Heritage Club for 10 years, mentored kids at his church, pursued his love of roses through the Asheville Blue Ridge Rose Society and was an avid model train builder.

He was a member of Grace Lutheran Church.

He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Hannelore; one daughter, Gabriele Gruss Niederauer and her husband Mark of San Antonio, Texas; one son, Joachim Gruss and his wife Beáta of Budapest, Hungary; two grandsons, Stefan Julius Niederauer of Austin, Texas and Máté Sebestyén Gruss of Budapest, Hungary; one granddaughter, Elise Johanna Niederauer of San Antonio, Texas; and two brothers, Manfred Gruss and Eckehard Wöller, both of Eislingen, Germany.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2013, at Grace Lutheran Church with Pastors Ken Langsdorf and Greg Williams officiating.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Grace Lutheran Church, 1245 Sixth Avenue West, Hendersonville, NC 28791 to establish a youth scholarship.

Condolence cards may be sent to the family at www.jacksonfuneralservice.com or P.O. Box 945, Hendersonville, NC 28793