Audrae Margaret Gruber

Audrae Margaret Gruber, age 90, of Brainerd, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 31st. She was born on May 28, 1931, to Walter N. and Margaret F. (Weyh) Norris in St. Paul, MN. She graduated from Summit School and Knox College and taught for 30 years in St. Paul Public Schools, serving in many advisory roles in addition to classroom teaching. She married Murray L. Johnson in 1952 and they had 3 children, Jeffrey, Scott, and Stephanie. She and her second husband, Paul Gruber, were married on a sailboat in 1983. When they retired they lived on Mille Lacs lake and then moved to Brainerd in 1998. For a number of years she was a volunteer with Crisis Line, Hospice patient support, and promoting the H.S. Suicide Prevention program.
A member of the Brainerd Writers’ Alliance, she loved to write. She published a book of poetry and many articles in local and regional newspapers and magazines such as Lake Country Journal, Brainerd Dispatch and Her Voice, and the Talking Stick anthologies.
She and Paul enjoyed fishing, camping, snowmobiling and traveling together. They traveled extensively all over the U.S., Europe, Central America, Russia and China. For a time she was co-owner of an antique store and always enjoyed thrifting and finding a great bargain.
Audrae is survived by her brother, Paul (Carol) Norris, her children, Jeff (Kim) Johnson, Scott Johnson, and Stephanie Lee, stepdaughters Paula Mailer and Julie Gruber, grandchildren Elizabeth Wiley, Jesse Cartony, Katy (Ken) Noble and Mary Johnson, and great grandchildren, Kieren and Pallas, Kai and Kaden, Brooklyn and Logan, Sophia, Cameron and Adrien, and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Bob Norris, and husband Paul Gruber.
A celebration of her life will be held at Lord of Life Lutheran church in Baxter on Saturday, April 23, 11:00am with visitation an hour before the service and a lunch following.
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In lieu of flowers. Gifts to HART animal rescue and The Crossing Arts Alliance.