LaRae Groves

Dec 19, 1939 -

Feb 10, 2020

Anchorage, Alaska, resident LaRae Nell Groves died on Feb. 10, 2020, from pancreatic cancer. Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 6, 2020, at Turnagain United Methodist Church in Anchorage.

Mrs. Groves was born in Nebraska, raised in Ossining, N.Y., and graduated from New York State College for Teachers in Albany in 1961. LaRae followed adventure up the Alcan to Anchorage, where she taught Spanish and English at East High School.

In 1964, LaRae met and married Gene Groves. In 1967, Gene and LaRae moved to Fairbanks, Alaska, where Gene was Associate Pastor at 1st UMC and Director of Wesley Foundation at UAF. They welcomed their first son Jeffry in 1967. They moved to Chugiak in 1969, and served Chugiak UMC for eight years with LaRae teaching at Chugiak High School. They welcomed their second son Joel in 1976. In 1977, the couple returned to Anchorage and LaRae taught at Service High School until her retirement in 1993.

LaRae and Gene traveled extensively in Alaska, South America and Europe. LaRae loved education, literature, poetry and art. She was an avid artist and worked in paints, stone, metal, glass and other media. She enjoyed creative writing and leaves many works for her family. LaRae loved Alaska's beauty and enjoyed fishing and gold panning. One of LaRae's greatest joys was spending time with her granddaughters.

LaRae was preceded in death by her parents, Raymond and Bernice Atwood; her brother and sister-in-law, John and Geri Atwood; and her sister, Lennie Olson. She is survived by her husband, Gene Groves; siblings, Ginny Holderman and Raymond Atwood Jr. and their spouses; son, Jeffry Groves and granddaughter Chelsey Groves; and son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter Joel Groves, Amy Doogan and Tessa Groves.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, pancan.org.