Dorothy A. Groves 1924-2012

GROVES MCDONALD LUKENS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 7/19/2012 at 10:45:44

Sioux City Journal
July 15, 2012

Dorothy A. Groves, 88, of Hubbard, Neb., former Sioux City resident, passed away Wednesday, July 11, 2012, at a Sioux City hospital.

Services will be at 2:30 p.m. Monday in the Morningside Chapel, Christy-Smith Funeral Homes, with the Rev. Gretchen Ritola of St. Paul’s and St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Emerson, Neb., officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m., and a prayer service at 7 p.m., at the funeral home.

Dorothy was born on Feb. 5, 1924, in Bloomfield, Neb. She was the daughter of Charles and Mary (McDonald) Lukens. She was the third of 15 children.

She married Max Groves on Oct. 3, 1947, in Elk Point, S.D. They lived in Sioux City until 1985 and then made their home in Hubbard, Neb. She was employed at Sioux City Battery Co. and then at Aalf’s Warehouse for 11 1/2 years. She enjoyed traveling to the mountains in Colorado, Bush Gardens in Florida, picking up seashells on Malibu Beach in California. She also enjoyed listening to music in Tijuana, Mexico, seeing the lights of Las Vegas, and sights in Utah, Iowa and Nebraska.

She was known for baking the best sugar cookies and pancakes. She also did wood crafts, wreaths and rock birdhouses for her children. Dorothy loved life and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved country music and dancing but what she loved most was listening to Max play the accordion. As a child she loved listening to her great-grandpa play the fiddle, and that was still her favorite instrument. Over the 64 years that Max and Dorothy were married, they loved to dance, attending many country music jams. They belonged to the Country Music Association for 20 years, making many friends along the way.

Survivors include her husband, Maxwell of Hubbard, Neb.; her children, Duane Groves of Omaha, and Trish and Marty Rohde of Emerson, Neb.; her grandchildren, Rob Groves of Sioux City, Chris (Michelle) Groves of Wentzville, Mo., Derrick Groves of Loveland, Colo., Dan Rohde of Hubbard, Michele (Chuck) Sattler of Hubbard, and David Rohde of Emerson.; 10 great-grandchildren; two great-stepgrandchildren; her sisters and brothers, Viva Langmack and Virlyn (Marvel) Lukens of Emerson, Evelyn Beckman and Loren (Arlene) Lukens of Bloomfield, Neb., Lee Lukens of Crofton, Neb., Leland (Ella May) and Edna (Duane) Thurston of Omaha, Dennis (Sharon) Lukens of Poania, Colo., and Elaine (Lyle) Jensen of Carroll, Neb.; and sisters-in-law, Janet Lukens of Sioux City, and Tencha Groves of Carson City, Nev.

She was preceded in death by her son, Roland; her parents; sisters, Phyllis Butler and Nellie Beckman; and brothers, Billy, Donald and Lyle Lukens.