Elizabeth Groves - A Life Dedicated to Family and Service

Elizabeth Ann Groves, 78, of Coral Springs, Florida, known to many as Betty Ann, passed away unexpectedly from natural causes on June 14, 2015. She was born in Washington, DC on July 19, 1936 to John and Mary Murchake. The eighth of eleven children, she was raised in Washington, DC and Annapolis, Maryland. Elizabeth is survived by her children, Gael Allison Roney and Steven Arthur Groves; and three grandchildren, Monica, Christian, and Cole. Also left to cherish her memory are her siblings Catherine, David, George, Patricia, and Richard.

Elizabeth graduated from the University of Maryland in 1958 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing and started her long career as a public health nurse in Washington, DC, assigned to provide home health care to indigent patients in some of the toughest neighborhoods in the District. She married Philip Groves in 1966, and gave birth to Gael and Steven in 1967 and 1970, respectively. She continued her nursing career when the Groves family moved to Houston, Texas in 1974, with work ranging from a field nurse with the Harris County Health Department, to a volunteer school nurse in Steven's elementary school. Her career continued to blossom when the family moved to Coral Springs in 1980, when Elizabeth began work for the Broward County Health Department. There she continued to serve the health care needs of the community until she retired at age 67 as a senior executive in administration. Her career with the health department was exemplary, and she was the recipient of several awards for her service to the people of Broward County.

Elizabeth achieved all of these professional goals while raising Gael and Steven in Coral Springs, supporting them through high school, university, law school and beyond. At the same time, she, along with her sister Catherine, took care of their mother Mary during the final years of her life. When Elizabeth's children became adults, she turned her full attention to her three grandchildren, to whom she devoted the rest of her life. In retirement she enjoyed reading above all else, and it would seem she devoured anything worthwhile at the Coral Springs Public Library (that is until she received a Nook for Christmas one year). Elizabeth continued to serve the community by sitting on the Coral Springs Senior Advisory Committee of the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, which met monthly to address issues that affect the senior citizen population in the community.

Her life during her final years revolved around looking after the needs of her grandchildren, spending time with close friends and family, and always making sure that her children were happy and healthy. Selfless, compassionate, nurturing, and kind, Elizabeth put her family and loved ones before herself on every occasion, without exception. Her generosity knew no bounds. That is not hyperbole or exaggeration, but simple fact. It is impossible to measure the impact she had on the lives of those around her. She was loved and respected by all she knew. Elizabeth was uniformly cherished by her siblings, nieces and nephews, friends and colleagues. She was taken from us too soon. Her passing leaves a hole in our lives that cannot be filled. If she was here she would exhort us to love each other; to be kind; to look after and care for each other; and to share all we have with each other. We will miss her laugh, her smile, and the love she gave to us all through the years.

Friends of Elizabeth may call from 4:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. on Friday, June 26, 2015 at Coral Springs Funeral Home. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 A.M. on Saturday, June 27, 2015 at St. Andrew Catholic Church.