Charlotte V. Groff

Charlotte Virginia Groff, PhD, died March 12, 2016 peacefully and at home at age 83.  She was born August 9, 1932 in Hinsdale, Illinois and died in the house in Berrien Springs she had lived in her entire life.  Charlotte was an only child, born to Virginia Fairchild Boone and Earle Groff.  Her mother worked as a nurse.

Dr. Groff’s education was entirely at Emmanuel Missionary College (later Andrews University) with a B.A. in English, minor French, M.A. in Middle English, PhD. in Educational Psychology.  She worked as a school teacher until she retired at 70, for one year in the Benton Harbor schools and the rest of her life with the Coloma schools starting with Clymer School.  Her specialty was teaching early reading in the younger grades.  Summers she worked with the Migrant Program.

She took an interest in genealogy, travelling out East to do research.  She was a member of the General Society of Mayflower Descendants and Daughters of the American Revolution and she signed up many relatives to these organizations.  She was for years an officer in the local DAR chapter.  In that position she read and judged many high school essays and then travelled around to the high schools in the county handing out awards.

Her faith, her religion, and her church were an important part of her life.  She was baptized at age eight into the Seventh-day Adventist church joining the Andrews campus church that later became Pioneer Memorial Church.  She was a member for 75 years making her the longest member of that congregation.

Her father died in 1944 and her mother died in 1968.  Therefore she spent most of her life without her parents.  Her closest relatives were her cousins Mary Jane Kimmel Chavez and George T. Kimmel Jr.  She took an interest in George’s children; Mary Ann and Tom.  Having never married, she had no children of her own.

She quit watching football when Johnny Unitas retired.  After retirement she continued with an active life, driving, doing DAR work, and helping with the church until the end.  Charlotte had a strong personality with an interest in family traditions.  She will be missed by all who knew her.  Hers was a life well lived.

Arrangements are being handled by the Allred Funeral Home (www.allredfuneralhome.com).  Visitation will be Thursday evening March 24 from 6 to 8 at Allred Funeral Home, Berrien Springs.  The funeral will be Friday March 25 at Pioneer Memorial Church on the Andrews University campus.  Visitation will be from 12 to 1 with services following from 1 to 2:30.  There will be a private interment the next week at Rose Hill Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest next to her parents.  Memorials may be made to the PMC Television Ministries.