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Murrie D. Grove 1938-2016
On July 14, 2016, devoted and loving husband, beloved father, brother, uncle, nephew, and cousin, and dear friend to many, Murrie Dennis Grove passed away after a sudden illness while vacationing in Sweden. Born in 1938, in Dixon, IL to Murrie E. and Anna Lucille (Mayes) Grove, he attened St. Mary's Elemetary School, Dixon High School, University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign, and then Northern Illinois University, where he was a member of the wrestling team, graduating in 1961. Married to Christina since 1964, they raised their daughters Kimberley and Erika in Rockford, IL. After college, Murrie first worked for the IRS, then from 1968-1994, he was comptroller and accountant at Union Hall, Inc. in Rockford. In 1994 having been a co-owner since 1970, he transitioned to Anpec Industries Pecatonica, Il, where he served as president, forklift driver, and salesman, recently retiring to Port Charlotte, FL. A former U.S. National Guard Reservist, Murrie was also a regular blood donor at the Rock River Valley Blood Center and generously supported organizations including Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary, Chicago's WITS literacy program, the Pecatonica Public Library, Keith Country Days School, and the Rockford Rescue Mission. A voracious reader and avid wordsmith, Murrie enjoyed crossword puzzles, Wheel of Fortune, and Latin etymology; he also learned Swedish to be conversant with Christina's family. He was very knowledgeable about WWII history, and traveled for the first time to Normandy, France this summer with his brother Mark; Murrie was also an expert on his Irish roots. A big fan of music, Murrie was especially fond of Cheap Trick, Johnny Cash, and Elvis, among many others. Known for his wisdom and dry wit, Murrie lived life with gusto, loyalty, and focus. He is survivied by wife, Christina, daughter Kimberley, brother Mark (Jill) brother-in-law Tovias Lander (Kerstin), brother-in-law Per Lander (Mary Jo), sister-in-law Gracie Grove and his nieces and nephew. Predeceased by his daughter Erika, his parents and brothers, Neil and Tom. Memorial service to be held in Sweden at a later date.
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Thomas Currens (Currens)
Murrie and I both worked for the Illinois State Highway Dept one summer after high school center-striping highways in NW Illinois. We usually stayed in a hotel over night when we were in the quad cities area or Galena. We were on the cross-country track team together and slugged it out between us for second place... Joe Cushing was always in first place.
Chuck Rizner
Murrie and I go back to 1st grade at St. Mary's School. We were best friends right off. Even today when I think of Murrie, I see a young boy, lunch box in one hane, baseball bat in the other, grinning from ear to ear with a swoop of hair across his forhead. He was quiet spoken and full of mischief at the same time. Competitive in studies as well as sports. What he may have lacked in talent, he more than made up for it with heart. He was my best man when Judy and I got married. I think of him every day now and wish I had done a better job of letting him know how blessed I am for having him as my best friend. God, I miss him. Chuck Rizner
David Jones
I echo Chuck Rizner's comments. I was a classmate and close friend of Murrie from kindergarten through DHS and have remained close since although separated geographically. In fact I e-mailed Murrie to see if he was planning to come to our reunion and received an e-mail back from his wife Christina that he had died the day before. Needless to say, I was more than shocked. Devastated would be a better word. I surely will miss him, but it also reminded me of our mortality and to make the best use of whatever time the Good Lord is going to allow us to remain on this earth.
A memory that I have about Murrie is that he and I went out for freshman basketball. We were both short scrawny kids and our basketball talent fell well short of Michael Jordan and Steph Curry. The coach suggested that perhaps we should consider wrestling, as they were looking for lightweights. So we did, Murrie wrestling in the 95 lb. division and I in the 103 lb. division. Murrie went on to do pretty well in wrestling, but after one season, I was sure that a wrestling career was not in store for me.
Dave Jones
Rudy Marloth
Seems to me that The Famous Wally* and others referred to Murrie as 'Grover' with no disrespect, and Murrie knew it. I was another 95 lb weakling and on the B wrestling squad for one match, when I lost to a kid from Geneseo who weighed 65 lb. Murrie of course was on the A team.
He was one of the participants in our great games of Indian ball at Lowell Park.
I still chuckle when remembering that he referred to Georgia as "my aunt", which she most certainly was.
*So called because my kids heard many references to him but never met him.
Josephine (Jody) Bally (Conley)
New Obit for Murrie posted.