Obituary of Lois Grooms
Lois Elizabeth Grooms died on January 31st, 2018 at 10:56 a.m., at the Gardens of Bellaire nursing facility under care of Hospice. Born in Del Norte, Colorado. She was the fourth child of Ray Frederick Holland and Marian Clare (Speiser) Holland. Her mother died when Lois was seven days old. She was raised by her father, family members and hired help until her father married again when she was two. She grew up on the farm in the San Luis Valley in south central Colorado. She graduated from Hooper High School, Hooper, CO and went on to college at Bryan College in Dayton, TN. She attended two years studying for an Education degree. Her education was cut short to marry her High School sweetheart, Charles “Bud” William Grooms in 1955 and moved to Chicago, IL where she took some classes at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. Upon Bud’s graduation, they moved to Hillsboro, IA where they began many years of ministry together and several moves to midwest churches. Along with the Hillsboro Baptist Church, they served the Harrisburg Baptist Church, IA; First Baptist Church, Deadwood, SD; First Baptist Church, Red Oak, IA; and United Baptist Church, New Berlin, IL.
Lois had various jobs through the years as she juggled duties as pastor’s wife, Mother to four children and worked outside the home. A few of her employers included: Clerk of Court of Lawrence County Treasurer’s Office, Deadwood, SD; Montgomery County Courthouse Auditor’s office in Red Oak, IA; First National Bank, Springfield, IL. She also was an entrepreneur and worked as an independent sales consultant for Playhouse Toys, Avon, and owned her own cleaning business in Plainfield, IL.
After divorce in 1991, she continued to be an active church member and spent many years teaching Sunday School, and singing in the choir. She served the Reidland United Methodist Church in Paducah, KY from 2000 until 2009 when she was diagnosed with dementia (Primary Progressive Aphasia) and moved to FL to be cared for by her daughter and son-in-law.
Lois lived a life of struggle, yet was the most positive, faithful servant through every hardship. She possessed many earthly talents including: sewing, gardening, and singing. She enjoyed travel, reading and spoiling her grandchildren. She had a great love for her pets as well as wildlife. As a child she nurtured a baby jack rabbit in her room, raised a runt piglet to full grown, and bottle fed baby lambs on the farm. She always fed the birds and had many cats and dogs as her companions through the years.
Preceding her in death were her mother, Marian C. Holland, father, Ray F. Holland; step-mother, Juanita B. Holland; ex husband Charles W. Grooms; sister, Katherine C. Currier; brothers, Zane W. Holland and Glen R. Holland; sister Ruth E. Holland; grandsons, Bradley C. Grooms and great grandson, Xander R. Swegal.
Surviving are her children, Dennis A. Grooms (Deb), of Pleasant Hill, IA; Douglas C. Grooms (Donna), of Livermore, CA; Brenda J. McEntire (Paul), of Houston, TX; Dwight E. Grooms (Paula), of Red Oak, IA; one brother, David Holland (Barbara) of Hooper, CO; and a sister, Estalita Versaw (Ardell) of Center, CO. Nine grandchildren: Justin Swegal (Kati), Ann Howard (Donavan), Joshua Grooms (Jessika), Danielle Fitch (Ryan), Garrett Grooms (Tracy), Rebecca Banks (Andrew), Ashleigh Milleson (Josh), Micah Grooms, and Robin Schaal (Kyle) and twelve great grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life service will be held at the Nelson-Boylan-Lerette Funeral Chapel in Red Oak, IA on April 21, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. Lunch following service and location will be updated. Memorial gifts can be made in her name to Bluebonnet Palliative Care,12111 Ranch Rd. 12, Suite #114, Wimberley, TX 78676, or to a Hospice of your choice or to a memorial fund at Reidland United Methodist Church, 5515 Reidland Rd, Paducah, KY 42003 designated to the Music Ministry in her name.
