Melvin Smith Grooman

Obituary Melvin S. Grooman Melvin Grooman was born May 12, 1924 in Medicine Bow, WY and passed away peacefully on March 2, 2014. Melvin enjoyed the great outdoors including fishing, camping, skiing, hunting, ice hockey, scuba diving and running. Melvin married Marilyn Crombie on September 30, 1959 and together they raised four children. Melvin was a career pressman starting in 1949 at the Cheyenne Tribune in Wyoming. He also worked for the Laramie Republic, Roseburg Review, Bellingham Herald and the Eugene Register Guard. He supported his community by being a volunteer fire fighter, helped build the Taft Mountain ski area and taught kids how to ski, was a scuba diving instructor, and performed dives for the sheriff and loggers. Melvin retired in 1990 from Dow Jones in Federal Way, WA. Melvin enjoyed skiing with his kids, swimming laps at the Elks club, and running marathons. In his later years he loved to take long walks along the Ruston Way waterfront greeting everyone who crossed his path, attending Saturday Mass at St. Charles Church, and Sunday mornings at the V.F.W. Melvin is survived by his wife, Marilyn; his children, Elizabeth, Susan (Kevin), Mary (Jo Anne), John (Halley); grandchildren, Britni, Steven, Amanda, Kyle, Michael, Elina, Bennett, and Amory; brother, Roger Grooman; and sister, Delores Pfeifer. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, March 10, 2014 at 9:00am at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church. Interment at Gethsemane Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Narrows Bridge V.F.W. Post 10018, 4741 N. Baltimore, Tacoma, WA 98407. Please leave online condolences at www.gaffneycares.com. Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home, 253-572-6003.