Cassville, WI – Norma June (nee Andrew) Groom, age 87, passed away on Wednesday, June 22, 2016, at Atrium Post Acute Care in Lancaster. Norma was born June 13, 1929, on her family’s farm in rural Livingston, WI, the youngest child of Frank and Bertha (Gundlach) Andrew. She attended East Crow Branch Grade School and graduated from Livingston High School in 1947. She received her Teaching Certificate from Platteville State Teacher’s College in 1949 and taught at the New California and West Crow Branch country schools. She received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from the Wisconsin State College (now UW-Platteville) in 1954 and taught 3rd and 4th grades at Cassville Elementary School. She was united in marriage to Lewis W. Groom of Cassville on July 28, 1956 at the Rock Church, near her family’s farm in rural Livingston. He preceded her in death on December 13, 2009.
Lewis and Norma farmed his family’s Century Farm in Cassville and also owned and operated L&N Transfer, a freight and livestock trucking operation. Norma left teaching to raise her family but remained a teacher to her children and grandchildren, home schooling one grandson for some years. Norma was a voracious reader and passed her love of writing and reading to her children. She read her newspapers and worked her jumble puzzles until she could no longer hold her papers, just three days before her death. She and her sister performed duets throughout their childhood and her glorious alto voice often entertained her family. Quick with a clever phrase, she wrote poems and stories in her beautiful cursive handwriting and composed witty songs for her family’s enjoyment. A meticulous housekeeper, she loved to cook and bake and her family will fondly remember her delicious pies.
Norma is survived by her seven children, Lorraine Groom Ashmore of Cassville, Larry (Carla) Groom of Cassville, Gayle (Kevin) Koeller of Dubuque, IA, Glenda (Andrew) Kunz of Stitzer, Julie Groom of Cassville, Joan (Dean) Mish and Nancy (Bill) Goforth both of Potosi; 12 grandchildren, Marcus and Martin Groom, Amy (Tommy) Ming, Matthew, Alan (Sabrina), Anthony (Katie), Christopher, Nicholas, Andrea and Joshua Kunz and Cole and Kate Mish, a step-grandson Michael Goforth, four great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Norma was preceded in death by her parents, husband Lewis Groom, three brothers, Dale, Osmer and Melvin (Lil) Andrew, sister Laura Jean (DeWayne) Cushman and sister-in-law Patricia (LeRoy) Schauff.
Funeral services will be held at 12:00 P.M on Saturday, June 25, 2016, at the Livingston Free Methodist Church with burial to follow in the Rock Church Cemetery in rural Livingston. Visitation will be held from 10:00 A.M. until the time of service at the church on Saturday morning. In lieu of plants and flowers, memorials may be given to the Cassville Fire Department and Rescue Squad or the Lancaster Community Band. The Soman-Larson Funeral Home of Montfort is assisting the family.
The family especially wishes to thank Dr. Thomas Schreiber and the staff at Grant Regional Health Center for the kindness and compassion shown to both Norma and her family at this difficult time.