Ira Richard "Dick" Groves

Groves, Ira Richard “Dick”81, of Tucson, Arizona, died Friday March 9, 2012 in Tucson. A memorial service for Richard (“Dick”) will be held at St. Marks United Methodist Church in Fairfield, Ohio, at 10:30 am on Tuesday April 24. Dick was born in Columbus, Ohio, to Helen Elizabeth Hoffman Groves and Clarence Daniel Groves. He resided in Hamilton, Ohio, for most of his life but spent the last six years and several winters prior to that in Tucson. Dick married Barbara Nelson Groves on September 23, 1951 and they were happily married for over 55 years. He graduated from Worthington High School in Ohio, attended Ohio State University from 1948-50, and then graduated from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in 1955. He served in the U.S. Army in the Korean conflict from 1951-1953. He worked for the Webb Funeral Home in Hamilton, Ohio, for his entire career from 1955 until 1992 when he retired as the Partner and President of The Webb Groves Noonan Funeral Home. Dick enjoyed many wonderful years of retirement, traveling with Barb throughout the US in their motor home, going on numerous cruises in the Caribbean, fishing with buddies at Lake Cumberland, and snow-birding in Florida and Arizona in the winters. In Arizona, he volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and helped build several homes in Tucson during the 1990s. In Ohio, he was a member of St. Marks United Methodist Church where he volunteered on many church projects. Earlier in life, Dick earned a pilot’s license and enjoyed many leisure hours flying in the Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana tri-state area. Both Dick and Barb were devoted dog owners in retirement and had many great years with their dachshund Sassy and Jack Russell terrier Nikki. Dick is survived by his son, Craig Richard Groves, of Bozeman, Montana, and daughter-in-law Victoria Saab of Bozeman, Montana. Dick was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Barbara in December 2006, and an infant son Brett Nelson Groves in 1959. In December 2005, Dick had a serious stroke which left him paralyzed. Despite health struggles over the last several years, Dick displayed an enormous will to live, enjoyed going out to eat with friends in Tucson, and always appreciated the cards and letters he received from friends and family. During these last six years, his quality of life was made ever so much better by the loving care of Helen Lambertson and her family (husband Chuck Sprague and brother David). There are simply no words that could ever adequately thank Helen for all that she did to make Dick’s life as good as it could be. We are also enormously indebted to Dick’s personal caregivers, especially Gabriela Joffroy, but also Yolanda Arredondo, Maria Vasquez, and Rosa Vargas. We are also grateful to the staff of two homes where Dick resided in Tucson and received such great care – the Handmaker and Via Elegante. For those who wish to remember Dick, the family suggests a donation to the Handmaker Foundation (https://handmakerfoundation.org), 2221 N. Rosemont Blvd, Tucson AZ 85712 or the Hamilton Community Foundation, 319 N. Third Street, Hamilton, OH 45011. For those who wish to contact the family, they can be reached at Craig Groves & Victoria Saab, PO Box 6374, Bozeman MT 59771.

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Ira Richard "Dick" Groves

March 9, 2012