Gerald Carr “Jerry” Grooms, 87, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather passed away on Sept. 28 at his home in Mt. Vernon, Ohio.
Jerry was born July 13, 1931 in Mason, Ohio to parents Stanley and Grace (Miller) Grooms.
He was graduated from Mason High School, obtained a degree in Agricultural Economics from The Ohio State University, and went on to receive a Master’s Degree in Agricultural Journalism from Iowa State University.
In 1953, Jerry spent six months in Japan with International Farm Youth Exchange (IFYE). He served from 1954 to 1956 in the U.S. Army Counter Intelligence Corp in Oakland, CA. In 1953, he married his high school sweetheart, Jane (Smith) Grooms with whom he raised two children.
Most of their 22 years of marriage were spent on a 55-acre hobby farm in Galloway, Ohio. After Jane’s death in 1976, Jerry met and married Mary Ann (Lynch) Preston, and became a father to her three children. Last October, they celebrated 40 years of marriage.
After a varied career that included agricultural journalism, agricultural education, real estate, and property management, Jerry kept busy in retirement years with a 150 acre cattle farm east of Mt. Vernon, OH, lovingly known as “Peaceful Slopes Farm.” For many years, Jerry and Mary Ann have resided in Mt. Vernon, Ohio during summers and wintered in Edgewater, Florida.
Jerry had many interests throughout his life, but his passion, above all, was farming. He was happiest on a tractor, nurturing field crops, or in a barn, nurturing livestock. Jerry was a self-reliant man who instilled in his children and grandchildren a strong work ethic. Jerry also had fun. He loved singing old standards around the piano, happy hour martinis, playing “500,” and telling corny jokes.
He was known and loved by his family and friends as a compassionate man with the kindest of hearts. Jerry was a loving father, who passed on to his son, Grant, a love of cars, to his daughter, Jenny, a love of animals, to his son, Stan, the love of an organized tool shed, to his daughter, Ann, a love of dancing, and to his daughter, Kathleen, a love of independence. Jerry was a devoted husband, and the two loves of his life, Jane and Mary Ann, gave him a lifetime of happiness.
Jerry is survived by his wife, Mary Ann Grooms, son Grant (Janet) Grooms, daughter Jenny (Ron) Menning, son Stan (Lisa Conte) Preston, daughter Ann (Todd) Stuck, and daughter Kathleen Hartman, as well as grandchildren Matt (Marilyn) Menning, Brittany Menning, Emily (Bill) Hickey, Alex Grooms, Nick Stuck, Emma Stuck, and Clay Hartman, and one great-granddaughter, Ellen Jane Hickey. Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Stanley and Grace Grooms, brother, Lester Grooms, wife, Jane Grooms, and son-in-law, Jason Hartman.
Jerry’s family will observe a private service at a later date. The Dowds-Snyder Funeral Home of Mount Vernon is honored to serve the family of Gerald Carr “Jerry” Grooms.
Jerry requested that memorial contributions go to the IFYE Program, through this link: https://ifyeusaorg.presencehost.net/ways-to-give/donation.html
To share a memory or leave a condolence for the family, visit www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.
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