Constance L. Groves

Constance L Groves

Our Mom was born at home in Fairpoint, OH, on December 20, 1932, to her Czechoslovakian/ Polish/Austrian immigrant parents, Andrew Tisko and Anna Suzo Tisko. Her father worked the coal mines. Her mother was a well known neighborhood baker, who spoke 7 languages. Our mom was the second youngest of 8 children. She died, unexpectedly, and way too soon, on Tuesday, the 1st of November, 2022. She was preceded in death, only 6 months ago, by her beloved husband of 70 years, Charlie.

She grew up in an impoverished coal mining town during the Depression. It was a home rich with love, laughter, her closest siblings Nancy and Buck, their cherished brown cow, Patty, and her dog, Spot. Connie graduated from St Clairesville High School at the age of 17. Soon after, she and several of her courageous girlfriends, left their small mining town for the “big city.” She rented a room with a local family and had to wait until she turned 18 to start her first job at the Ohio Department of Transportation. It was there that she met her future husband, Charles Groves. Two years later, on the 23rd of August, 1952, she married Charlie, and the following year they welcomed their first and only son, followed quickly by 6 daughters. Charlie passed away in April of this year, just months before their 70th anniversary.

Connie was an amazing mother, devoted to her children, open, accepting and welcoming to anyone we would bring home with us over the years, from hippie boyfriends to stray dogs. The family revolved around her loving care and guidance. She was quiet and strong. She was generous of heart. She instilled in each of us a love of reading and of nature.

Our Mom was a constant seeker of knowledge and was known her entire life as a lover of books. Her mom, also a bibliophile, taught her to read the newspaper by the time she was 4. She read everything she could get her hands on. She never stopped. Whenever she babysat as a teenager, she asked to be paid in books, not dollars. She borrowed so many books from the “Traveling Library” that came through town once a week, that they moved their regular stopping place from the post office to the top of her family’s driveway.

Connie was preceded in death by all of her siblings: Margaret, Alice, Dorothy, Bill, Eddy, Nancy and Buck. She is survived by her chIldren Randy Groves, Valerie (Bob) Campbell, Terree Bartlett, Jamie Bateson, Amy (Tom) Janas, Lyn Groves and Jennifer Groves. She will be sadly missed by her beloved grandchildren Grace, Elijah, Shyan, Rayne, Emily, Noah, Crystal, Stephen, Ben, Morgan, Dylan and Skylar. And her great grandchildren Harriet and Aggie, Etzel, Kenzo Matisse, Landen and Lilith, Deagan and Alaina, and Gianna. She is survived by sisters-in-law Bev Tisko, Lucy Groves, Nancy Dempsey and Doris Groves, brother-in-law Bobby Groves, and many cherished nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held on Friday, November 11, 2022, at the Ware Funeral Home in Chillicothe. Visitation will begin at 11 am. The service will begin at noon, followed by the laying to rest of her ashes, next to Charlie, at Grandview Cemetery. All are welcome to join us afterward at Walnut Street United Methodist Church, 16 S Walnut Street, Chillicothe, for a light meal and the sharing of love and memories.

On Saturday November 12th, we will welcome friends and family to an open house Celebration of our Mom’s life, at her home in Columbus, from 11-2 pm.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Constance L. Groves, please visit our floral store.