Ina Mae (Caringer) Groves

Ina Mae Groves, nee Caringer, of Vichy, MO was born on Tuesday, November 14, 1933 in Huzzah, MO to William “Bill” Charles Caringer and Ina Lucille Brown Caringer.  She passed away on Thursday, January 7, 2021 at Gasconade Manor Nursing Home in Owensville, MO at the age of 87 years, 2 months and 1 day.

Ina grew up between the farm at Huzzah and Dry Creek outside of Cherryville, MO.  She helped on the farm doing various chores,went to Slowensky School, graduated from Cherryville High School and later attended Draughon Business College in Springfield, MO.  On September 5, 1952 she married Gerald Stinson Groves in Cherryville, MO and to this union two children were born.  After their marriage, they moved to San Diego to live on the base where Gerald was stationed while in the Marine Corps.  They moved back to the St. Louis area to raise their family, where she worked for FruCon Construction for 2 years before deciding to be a stay at home mom. 

She became involved with Girl Scouts, where she put her heart and soul into the program for over 8 years.  The Girl Scout motto was “Be Prepared.”  They would go camping, hiking and do service projects.  She enjoyed teaching life skills to many girls.  She also did work with Boy Scouts as Tim was growing up, helping with pinewood derbies and skill shows.  She loved working with the kids.

Ina later worked at So Fro Fabrics in Ballwin, MO for 11 years.  She had a wonderful knowledge of sewing and made clothing for her family.  She loved making matching shirts for the guys, PJ pants or all of the grandkids and made quilts for all of them.  Ina was a great cook, loved canning and gardening just the same.  She loved the outdoors and would organize trips to Wyoming and Colorado.  Ina was the foundation of her family and wasn’t afraid to take on any project.

As for her grandchildren, she adored them all.  She would take Amy and Laura shopping and crank up Neil Diamond in the Ford Cougar while singing Cracklin Rosie, Sweet Caroline or Song Sung Blue to name a few.  She loved Neil Diamond’s music and went to 5 concerts over the years.  Ina Mae and Gerald moved to Vichy, MO in 2000.  They named their new place, “Rocky Top.”  There they began hunting a lot; she got her first deer, turkey and many squirrels.  She truly loved her song birds and fed them year round.  They went fishing together and took the grandkids as well.  She would take the boys hunting or swimming in their pool and loved it when the grandkids would come stay with them in the summer, watching Cardinals games and eating popcorn together.  Whether it was target practice, hunting, fishing and swimming with the boys, or sewing, baking cookies, swimming and playing games with the girls, “Grandma” was who she was, a very loving woman, friend and hero.

She was preceded in death by her parents William “Bill” and Ina Caringer; husband Gerald Groves; sisters Marie (Gene) Bay, Billie (Walter) Manion and brother Andy Caringer.

She is survived by her children Theresa (Mike) Durbin of Union, MO and Tim (Stephanie) Groves of Hartsburg, MO; brother Charles "Bud" Caringer (Shirley Crabtree) of Davisville, MO; grandchildren Dustin Groves of MI, Samuel Groves (fiancée Savannah Williams) of Jefferson City, MO, Joshua Groves (fiancée Sara Riggs) of Ashland, MO, Amy (Casey) Kirkpatrick of Wright City, MO, Laura (Daniel) Gruen and James Durbin all of Union, MO; great grandchildren Valerie Groves of Sullivan, MO, Stinson Gruen of Union, MO and Asher Groves of MI; nephew Robert Manion of Brunswick, MO; nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Visitation was from 10:30AM—1:00PM on Monday, January 18, 2021 at Hutson Funeral Home, Steelville, MO.  Funeral Service immediately followed at 1:00PM with Rev. Jerry Beers officiating.  Burial was at Steelville Cemetery. Memorials were suggested to the Alzheimer’s Association and Gasconade Manor for activities.

Arrangements under the direction of Hutson Funeral Home, Steelville, MO.

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