Joseph Herman Groeger

Joseph Herman Groeger "Joe", 97, of South Russell, Ohio passed away on March 20, 2023 after a heart attack. He was born November 5, 1925 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the son of the late Joseph A. and MaryGroegerneeGitschier.They were a family of eight children. He was predeceased by his wife of forty-six years Dorothy R. Groeger nee Rumble.
He is survived by his second wife, Mary Ann Boysen,and his sons from his first marriage; Joseph,and David and their wives. He is also survived by two stepchildren and their spouses. He is survived by three grandchildren and three step-grandchildren. He is also survived by his younger sister as well as many beloved nieces and nephews.
Joe was a graduate of Bethlehem High School then enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1943. He was sent to the South Pacific to Green Island where he was first assigned to meteorology training and this led to a passion to fly weather reconnaissance aircraft. He became proficient flying TBM and AT-6 aircraft. Later, he was assigned various infrastructure restoration roles in the Philippine Islands and China. He was discharged in February 1946 as a Technical Sargent and enrolled in Lehigh University, where he completed his Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering.
While in college, he worked at night operating open hearth blast furnaces at Bethlehem Steel. Following graduation, he took a production management position with Revere Copper and Brass.Through his career with Revere, he had the opportunity to live in Rome, NY, La Habra, CA, and Connecticut. He later rose to become president of the company. In 1963, Joe relocated his family to Sao Paulo, Brazil to manage a new international copper and brass manufacturing business. In 1988, he relocated to South Russell, OH, accepting the position of President at North Coast Brass and Copper.
An avid skier until he was 85, and golfer. In high school he was a member of the drama club and was known to break out into a tune frequently. He was also a runner on the track team and continued to run recreationally for many years. He enjoyed rebuilding British sports cars. He built a wooden sailboat that he would sail with both sons. He also had a passion for flying and owned a Cessna 172 which he flew until he was 80 years old. He enjoyed taking extended motorcycle trips with his son Joe Jr.
In 1994, after the passing of his wife Dorothy, he met his constant companion, Mary Ann Boysen, who he married in 2008. They enjoyed many adventures together.They cruised to the Caribbean, Alaska, Greece, Istanbul meeting new friends on the way and traveled to Sedona AZ to see the red rocks! After he stopped skiing the mountains in CO and UT, they began spending winters in Pensacola Beach, FL making new friends and enjoying the Southern Hospitality.
Joe was an avid reader going through multiple books each week during his retirement. He was also a member of various book and discussion groups. He enjoyed a lifelong love of learning and audited college courses during his retirement. For a few years he tutored the children in Chagrin Falls Park. He was often seen driving around in his red Alfa Romeo Spider.
In the last few years of his life, he would walk through his neighborhood every day and made friends with all the children. They would come out of their houses to say "Hi, Mr. Joe". He loved the attention.
He was a hard-working, kind,and genuine person. His smile lit up a room and he gave the best hugs. He was known for his cheeky sense of humor. His family greatly enjoyed listening to his stories and learning things from him. He made all those around him feel loved and valued. Joe was a great and involved father and a dedicated and loving grandfather. During the last seven years of his life, he greatly enjoyed the addition of his youngest grandchild.
As macular degeneration took more and more of Joe's eyesight, he found he was able to keep playing golf until 2022 thanks to an adaptive golf group for the handicapped, called The Turn. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to The Turn, Wharton Golf Center, North Olmsted Golf Club, 5840 Canterbury Road, North Olmsted, OH 44070. https://www.jointheturn.org/.
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