Bernard Lee Grove III

Bernard 'Bernie' L. Grove (1933 - 2023)

Our beloved father Bernard "Bernie" Lee Grove, 90, of St. Michaels, MD, passed away on November 22, 2023.

Bernie was born in Chicago, Illinois on June 15, 1933 to Bernard Lee Grove and Catherine Brand who met and married in Chicago. Growing up in Washington, DC, with his siblings Jane Grove Bolger, Mary Grove Drew and Walter Grove, he attended Blessed Sacrament Elementary School, St. John's Military Academy where he played football and track and field. He went on to college at the University of Maryland where he graduated in 1955 with a major in Agricultural Engineering. He was a member of the track and field team and a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity.

While at the University of Maryland he was introduced to his future wife, Mary Posta, by his sister Jane Grove Bolger. Bernie and Mary married in 1956 and moved to Frederick, Maryland where he started his career in the stone aggregate business with the MJ Grove Lime Company. Bernie spent his entire career with effectively the same company eventually becoming president of Redland Genstar.

Bernie and Mary raised six children: Bud, Mike, Dave, Robert, Mary Catherine and Bryan in Frederick where Bernie was a devoted father and was very active in the local community supporting Little League Baseball, Rotary and one of his biggest passions, Catholic Education. Bernie worked diligently to start Prospect Hall (now known as St. John's Catholic Prep) where he was a lifetime Board Member and over the years was a consistent supporter of the school.

In addition to a successful business career Bernie was very involved in the local business community where he was a Board Member of Frederick County National Bank and as an Advisory Board Member of BB&T Bank. He was active in the Frederick Maryland Chamber of Commerce, serving as Chairman and was also Chairman of the Frederick County Economic Development Committee. He served on Williard Agri-Services Board of Advisors. He was a Past Chairman and Honorary Life Member of the National Stone Association, Chairman and Life Member of the Maryland Aggregate Association, a member of the Pit and Quarry Hall of Fame and a member of the Maryland Highway Contractors Hall of Fame.

Upon retirement and the death of his wife Mary in 1997, Bernie moved to St. Michaels Maryland where he followed his avid love of hunting, fishing, farming and being outdoors. Bernie was an active member of St. Michaels Chapel and Saints Peter and Paul in Easton where he served on the Parish's Building Committee where he helped oversee the construction of the new church and parish rectory. He continued his community involvement on the Eastern Shore being an active member of Rotary Club of St. Michaels where he met his second wife Carol Wrightson Armstrong.

He is survived by his second wife Carol Wrightson Armstrong; his siblings Jane Bolger, Mary Drew and Walter and Jane Grove; his children, Bud and Nancy Grove of Lancaster, PA; Michael and Linda Grove of Easton, MD; David and Andie Grove of Frederick, MD; Robert and Kristi Grove of Houston, TX; Mary Catherine and David James of Gettysburg, PA; and Bryan and Becky Grove of New Market, MD; and his grandchildren, LeeAnne Grove and Jay Wolman, Bryan and Tiffany Grove, Daniel Grove, Michael and Dina Grove, Bobby and Vera Grove, William and Lizzy Grove, Paige Grove, Emily Grove, Drew and Julia Grove, Kaitlyn and Will Martin, Patric Grove, Hanna James, David James, Josh Grove and Tyler Grove; and his great grandchildren, Ava, Audrey, Alice, Conor, Killian, Brooks, Gwen and Nico.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his first wife Mary Posta Grove.

There will be a visitation at Fellows, Helfenbein and Newnam Funeral Home at 200 South Harrison Street, Easton, MD 21601 on November 29, 2023, from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial at Saints Peter and Paul Church at 1210 S. Washington Street, Easton, MD 21601 will be held on November 30, 2023 at 11:00 am.

A private interment will be held at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Frederick, Maryland.

In lieu of flowers, friends are asked to send charitable donations to St. John's Catholic Prep High School (www.saintjohnsprep.org; 3989 Buckeystown Pike, PO Box 909, Buckeystown, MD 21717) or SS. Peter and Paul Parish (www.ssppeaston.org; 1214 South Washington Street, Easton, MD 21601).