Louis C. Grove

Louis Calvin Grove, Jr. 93, passed away March 9, 2021, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Lou was born in Eagleville, a town of 300 in Surprise Valley in Modoc County, California and was the son of the late Gertrude May (Nolan) Grove and Louis Calvin Grove, Sr. He is survived by his wife of nearly 70 years, Joyce Adair (Harris) Grove.

He grew up in Eagleville, California with his parents and two older sisters, the late Maxine (Jack) Godwin (Medford-La Pine, OR) and Lois (Elmer) Cook (Red Bluff, CA). As a young boy he received a new pair of cowboy boots yearly thanks to his grandpa Nolan so he decided that he would call himself “Cowboy Joe” and it stuck. Thereafter, he was always called Joe by anyone from Modoc. His children are all named with J’s and the family became the five Jaybirds.

He moved to Cedarville in 7th grade and graduated from Surprise Valley Union High School in 1946 as did Joyce. In the summers he worked for his dad in the Eagleville Garage, then later the Western Garage in Cedarville, learning to weld and repair most vehicles.

He attended Sacramento State Junior College living with his aunt in her garage apartment with a roommate and a murphy bed. He then graduated in 1951 from California Polytechnic in San Luis Obispo, majoring in Electrical Engineering.

He and Joyce were married June 23, 1951 (both fourth generation Modoc families) and they immediately moved across the country to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for a job with Westinghouse Electric Corporation. When a new plant opened in Bloomington, Indiana in 1956 they moved along with 100 other Pittsburg families and they spent the next 50 years in the house he designed. There were fifteen Westinghouse families growing up together in Cascades Addition and four engineers (along with a secretary) who carpooled for about 30 years. He worked in the D.A.D. division and designed electrical sub-stations for high voltage lines, such as the one running through California. He always was proud of his international work that took him across the USA and around the world, many times with Joyce, including South America, England, South Africa, Mexico, Italy, Turkey and Iran.

He was a member of 1st Presbyterian Church in Bloomington as well as a Mason from high school and Knights Templar. Lou enjoyed golf and spent many hours at Cascades Golf Course with his friend Mickey (Norval) Maguire. He also enjoyed woodworking and fixing things around the house. He loved music (especially 50 Guitars) and he enjoyed playing his harmonica for his kids and grandkids.

Lou and Joyce were also avid Indiana University basketball and football fans for nearly 50 years enjoying many tailgate extravaganzas with Margaret and Amos Hewitt, and their extended families and friends. Annual family vacations were spent camping, at Lake Monroe, all over Michigan, and many national parks and KOA’s on the way to visit family in California. Later on, Lou and Joyce enjoyed winters in Sanibel, Florida for several years.

Lou is survived by his three children, Julie (Douglas) Pitts of Indianapolis, Janet Grove (Kirk) Miller, of Mattoon, IL and Jeff (Christiane) Grove of Kirkland, WA; five grandchildren: Dr. Elizabeth Pitts (Samuel) Kim, Benjamin (Katie) Pitts, Rachael Pitts (Anugrah) Bahl, Devon Grove and Erin Grove; plus six great grandchildren: Kingston Louis, Sloane, Elle, & Ford Pitts and Johnny & Hannah Kim.

He is fondly remembered for his ability to fix anything, stories of growing up in Surprise Valley, his creative poetry, singing Home on the Range to everyone, and his basic old time wit such as:

Plan your work, and work your plan.

Don’t sing at the table or you’ll get married before you are able.

Why buy it new, when you can fix it.

I can’t hear, I can’t see, I can’t remember what I ate for breakfast, but it’s a Great Day!

We husbands are a sorry lot.

Window shopping: the first step to tragedy.

The life of Louis Grove will be celebrated this summer in Indiana and in California.

Condolences may be made mailed to Joyce at: PO Box 1425, Mattoon, IL 61938

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorial gifts be made to the Surprise Valley Community Church where Lou and Joyce were married. This church has front doors donated by Gertrude Grove and family and beautiful stained glass windows handmade by Joyce’s brother, Benjamin Harris.

Donations may be mailed to: Surprise Valley Community Church, c/o Rev. Ben Zanstra, 405 Bonner Street, Cedarville, CA 96104