| DALE GROCE Dale Groce was born in Asheville and is a son of the late W.H. "Bill" and Mary D. Groce. He graduated from Lee H. Edwards High School, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the Dallas, Texas, Institute Of Mortuary Science. He served four years overseas in the Air Force as a Medical Lab Technician before returning to Asheville and joining Groce Funeral Home in 1974. He has served as District Director of the NC Funeral Directors Association and is former chairman of the First Citizens Bank Funeral Services Advisory Board and former treasurer of the West Asheville Business Association. He is married to Asheville native, Terrie Starnes, daughter of Glenn and Blanche Starnes, and they have one daughter, Kristina, a graduate of Furman University and who received her Masters in Psychology from Wake Forest University. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Psychology at NC State University. They are members of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church. |
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| BILL GROCE W.H. "Bill" Groce, Jr. W.H. "Bill" Groce, Jr. was born in Asheville and is a son of the late W.H. "Bill" and Mary D. Groce, Sr. He graduated from Lee. H. Edwards High School and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a N.C. licensed funeral director and was twice elected by his peers in funeral service to serve on the N.C. State Board of Mortuary Science (the state regulatory and licensing agency). He was chosen by this group as president, and while on the board he helped formulate and institute new and stringent regulations that help protect consumers, especially regulations relating to pre-payment of funeral expenses. In addition, he is a multi-gallon blood and phoresis donor at the American Red Cross and is a member of the UNC Education Foundation and the Board of Directors of First Citizens Bank. He and his wife, Rhoda, daughter of Jack and Mary Jean McCook of Greensboro, have two sons, Scott and W.H. (Trey) Groce, III. |
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| Bob Hembree Bob Hembree has been with the Groces for more than 30 years. His quiet demeanor and experience have guided many families through some of their most difficult times. Bob is a graduate of the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science. He and his wife, Peggy are the parents of a daughter, Cindy, an educator, and Michael, who is also a funeral director and embalmer. |
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| Wilton "Pug" Moore Wilton "Pug" Moore is the man responsible for maintaining the spotless appearance of Groce's West Asheville location. He is a native of Buncombe County and has a special interest in law enforcement. For more than 30 years we have depended on his abilities and his dedication. He and his wife, Angie, live in Weaverville with their three sons, Andrew, Payton and Richard. |
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| Doug and Gerry Broome Doug and Gerry Broome -Doug was born and raised in West Asheville and is a son of Bill and Dot Broome. He attended Asheville-Biltmore College and East Tennessee State University and graduated from the Dallas, TX, Institute of Mortuary Science. He has directed thousands of funerals in his more than 30 years at Groce. His wife, Gerry, in addition to being a former teacher's aide at Claxton Elementary School, is our staff hairdresser. They have two grown children, Melinda and Rodney, and two grandchildren, Kinsley & Carter. They are active members of West Asheville Baptist Church. |
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| Anne Morgan Anne Morgan is a resident of Skyland and a secretary at Lake Julian. She is a daughter of Raymond and Mary Ann Elingburg and is a member of Skyland United Methodist Church. She is the mother of three children, Steve Morgan, Jody Lytle, and Tina Dillingham, all of Arden. She is also a former employee of the Buncombe County Register of Deeds and a volunteer with the American Lung Association. |
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| John Prock John Prock and his wife, Mary, moved to North Carolina to escape the cold winters of Minnesota, where he managed and owned funeral homes. He was an Army paratrooper during the Korean Conflict and has been an embalmer and funeral director for 43 years and with us since 1989. He and Mary have six children, Robert, Kathy, Beth, Tou Sain, Tom and Jean, and are members of St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church. |
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| Carlie Rogers Carlie Rogers is a graduate of Sand Hill High School and Asheville-Buncombe Technical College. He and his wife, the former Barbara (Bobbi) Early, have two daughters, Terri Miller and Vicki Morgan, four grandchildren and one greatgrandson. They are actively involved in various ministries of West Asheville Baptist Church and enjoy the beach, deep sea and lake fishing. |
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| Scott Lynch Scott Lynch has been a resident of Arden all his life and graduated from T.C. Roberson High School and Gupton Jones Mortuary College in Atlanta. He began his funeral service career in 1973 and joined our firm in 1977 as as a funeral director and embalmer. As a graduate of the Fruitland Baptist Bible Institute, he was ordained into the ministry in 1996. He is a member of Arden First Baptist Church. |
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| J. Richard Gassaway J. Richard Gassaway, II joined our staff as a funeral director and embalmer in August, 2000. Richard is a native of Asheville and is a graduate of Erwin High School and of Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service in Atlanta, where he was a member of Pi Sigma Eta Scholastic Fraternity. He and his wife Carol are parents of two sons, Luke and Levi and are members of Richland Baptist Church. |
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| Leslie Morris Leslie Morris has worked in retail customer service for 26 years, and with the Groces since 1996. She is a native of Raleigh where she received a degree in Fashion Merchandising from Hardbarger Business College. She and husband Bruce, who builds race cars for Ray Everham Racing Team, have been married for 26 years and have two children, Zack, 20 and Rebecca, 15. They are members of St. George's Episcopal Church where Leslie served as Church Secretary for 13 years, member of the Vestry, President of the Episcopal Church Women, and Sunday School teacher. She has been a Girl Scout leader and enjoys traveling, shopping for antiques, and decorating. |
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| Deborah Davis Deborah Davis is our staff organist. She received her B.S. degree in Music Education from Western Carolina University and did postgraduate work at Westminster Choir College in Princeton, NJ, and also at the University of South Carolina. She studied organ extensively with Dr. Marilyn Keiser, and has been organist at West Asheville Baptist Church for 21 years. |
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| Lane Taylor Lane Taylor grew up in West Asheville and attended St. Joan of Arc, Gibbons Hall, Asheville Catholic High School, and T.C. Roberson High School, and worked his way through Western Carolina University doing construction work. He married Karen Emerson in 1977 and worked building homes in the Asheville area. They enjoy hiking, camping, and bird watching, and spend much of their available time off enjoying the area parks and national forests. They are members of St. George's Episcopal Church where he serves on the church Vestry, the building committee, and is also involved with the youth group. He has served as a leader to the BSA Troop 46, and has been a member of the Jaycees. He has worked with the Groces since 1996. |
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| Terrell Ballard Terrell Ballard is an Asheville native and a graduate of Valley Springs High School. He attended two years of business college and retired after 40 years with General Electric. He and his wife, Dee, are the parents of two grown children, Julie Perkins of Charlotte and Tommy Ballard, who lives in Asheville. Terrell has been with the Groces since 1993 and he and Dee are members of West Asheville Baptist Church. He is also an Army Veteran of the Korean conflict. |
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| R. Allen Williams R. Allen Williams, better known as Al, former owner and manager of Williams Funeral Service in Asheville, joined our staff as funeral director and embalmer in February, 2000. Williams is a native of Asheville and is the son of Patsy H. Williams and the late Roy A. Williams, Sr., who worked with the Groces in the 1940's before founding Williams Funeral Service on Spruce Street in Asheville. In announcing Williams employment, Dale Groce stated that he is pleased that the six decades of friendship between our two families have come full circle with Mr. Williams returning to family-owned funeral service with Groce. Williams is a 1986 graduate of Reynolds High School and a graduate of Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service in Atlanta where he was a member of Pi Sigma Eta Honorary Fraternity. He is married to Richelle (Reinoehl) Williams and is a member of the Oakley United Methodist Church, the Biltmore Masonic Lodge #446, AF & AM, the Scottish Rite and the Oasis Shrine. |
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| Richelle Williams Richelle Williams has joined the staff as funeral director and after-care coordinator. She is a native of Ohio and the daughter of Richard and Sherry Reinoehl-who moved from Ohio to Swannanoa in 2000. Richelle is a veteran of the U.S. Navy-as a Hospital Corpsman and E.M.T. She is a volunteer with the Big Brothers and Big Sisters Program, and a member of St. Margaret Mary's Catholic Church and a former employee of Williams Funeral Service where she met and married co-owner Al Williams. Husband and wife now work together at Groce and they have one daughter, Hannah Jane. |
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| Charles J. Graves Charles J. Graves joined us as a funeral director and embalmer in December, 2001. He is a native of New York State and is a veteran of the US Army, 82nd Airborne Division. He received his Associate Degree in Funeral Service from Fayetteville Tech Community College and has 20 years experience in funeral service. He is also a licensed insurance agent, a member of the Swannanoa Church of God and a volunteer with the Swannanoa Volunteer Fire Department. He is married to Rebecca Byrd Graves and has five children, five grandchildren, two step-children and two step-grandchildren. |
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| Trey Groce W.H.(Trey) Groce III is one of the fourth generation of Groces to serve Western North Carolina at Groce Funeral Homes. He was born in Asheville and is a son of Bill and Rhoda M. Groce. He is a graduate of Carolina Day School, the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill), and Gupton-Jones College of Mortuary Science in Atlanta. |
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| Ricky C. Adams Rick has been in funeral service since 1978, and joined with the Groces in January, 2007. He is an honor graduate of Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service and is a licensed funeral director and embalmer. He is also a member of the Pi Sigma Eta National Morticians Fraternity. Rick is a native of Aiken County, SC and is married to the former Barbara Ann Cox. They attend Trinity Baptist Church and are proud parents of two daughters Arcie & Catherine and three granddaughters, Grace Ann, Evangeline & Elizabeth. In addition to spending time with his family, Rick enjoys motorcycle riding, fishing, hunting, scuba diving and cooking for family and friends. |
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