John Henry Groeneveld

It is with great sadness that we have said our final goodbyes to John Henry Groeneveld. He was 90 years old. John passed away on Tuesday, March 11th, 2025, in Arizona, following a brief illness. John was born at home, in East Hazel Crest, Illinois, on May 1st, 1934, to Henry and Christine Jager Groeneveld. He was the youngest of seven children. He held many odd jobs while growing up in Illinois, his favorites being a golf caddy at the local golf course and working at the Horse Track. In 1952, John enlisted in the Air Force as an Airborne Radio Operator, serving in the Pacific. After discharge, he returned to Illinois to start a family and to begin his career as an Air Traffic Controller. John worked at Chicago Midway Airport, and then Chicago O'Hare Airport. In 1965, he was offered an opportunity to move to Fairbanks, Alaska, to open a Radar Approach Control Facility at Eielson Air Force Base, so he loaded up the family and made a permanent move. Sixty years later, he still called Alaska home, spending idyllic summers on the Kenai River, and traveling to Arizona in the wintertime. After his retirement in 1990, John spent his time on the golf course and fishing on the Kenai River, overseeing the 'Fish Camp' when family would come down for dipnet fishing. He enjoyed puttering in the gardens and sharing his knowledge about the area's birds. John is survived by his loving wife Helen, and his children, Michael, Leah, and Melissa, nine grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. His oldest son, Steven, preceded him in death in 2022. John's final resting place will be at the National Cemetery of Arizona, near his son Steve, and his brother Bill. He was a huge presence in our lives and now leaves an emptiness in all of us, and in all who knew him. The family will hold services at a later date. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of John, please visit our floral store.