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GROTH, Joseph C. Sr. 1892-1975

GROTH, HARTWIG

Posted By: Karen L. Robertson (email)
Date: 4/11/2010 at 20:44:45

Funeral services for Joseph C. Groth, Sr., 83, of Austin, Minn., who died at Veterans Hospital in Minneapolis December 18,1975 were held December 22 at St. Olaf Lutheran church in Austin.

Joseph Clarence Groth was born June 10, 1892 on the old Groth homestead north of St. Ansgar. In infancy he was baptized by the Rev. J. Olsen and later confirmed in the Norwegian language by the Rev. M.E. Waldeland at First Lutheran church.

He received his education at the Clyde rural school, the St. Ansgar Seminary and Hamilton Business College, Mason City. From 1917 to 1919 he served in the U.S. Army, training at Camp Dodge, Des Moines and Little Rock, Ark. He served overseas in France with the 329th infantry and was honorably discharged with the rank of sergaent in 1919.

After returning to civilian life he worked as a bookkeeper for the Rev. Waldeland and at the St. Ansgar bank, leaving the latter position to learn the grovery business in the store operated by his uncles, Tom and Andrew Groth. In the course of the next 25 years he operated grocery stores in St. Ansgar with three different partners. First partner was Hugo Bublitz; the second, his brother, William; and the third, his wife, the former Esther Hartwig, whom he married in 1927.

The Groths made their home at 116 N. Mitchell, which is now owned by Ben Mouw. In November of 1945 Mr. and Mrs. Groth sold their Groth's Jack Sprat store to Andrew Ellingson and moved to Clarence where they owned and operated the state theatre. In 1950 after a year in California the family moved to Austin to operate the Harrison Street Grocery and Groth's Corner Market.

After retiring from the grocery business in 1957, he became a contract painter, a trade he went on practicing until his 80th anniversary. Mr. Groth took up water color painting in 1972 and in 1973 he won a ribbon for the work he did at the Mower county fair. He was a member of St. Olaf Lutheran church, the World War I Barracks, Veterans of Foreigh Wars, American Legion and the Senior Citizens, Austin. In the summer of 1975 he officiated as president of the Groth family reunion.

Mr. Groth was preceded in death by his parents, Jacob and Celia Groth; two sisters, Clara and Alma; two brothers, William and Adolph.

He is survived by his wife, Esther, one son, Joseph C., Jr. of Los Angeles, Calif.; one daughter, Janet Carol, of New York City; three granddaughters, Rebecca, Susan and Kathleen.

Burial was in the First Lutheran cemetery here with VFW Post 1216 in charge of military honors.

St. Ansgar Enterprise


 

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