Mary Groves
Mary Elizabeth Groves, 71, of Elk Grove, Calif., passed away at her home on May 25, 2019, after a brief illness.
Mary was born May 19, 1948, in Minot, N.D., to Brooks Keogh and Kathleen Hyland Keogh.
Mary spent her childhood on the Keogh family cattle ranch near Keene, N.D. Along with her older sister, Kathleen, and her twin brother, Frank, she attended elementary school in a rural one-room schoolhouse. Because of its proximity to the family’s ranch, it was known as the Keogh School.
Mary graduated from Bishop Ryan High School in Minot, N.D., in 1966. She went on to receive a degree in English Education from the University of Mary in Bismarck. During her high school and college years, Mary competed in rodeos across the region. She and her sister would often drive hundreds of miles with their horses to reach the next event.
After college, Mary spent seven years in Washington, D.C. She worked for the Small Business Administration for several years before joining the staff of Wyoming Senator Cliff Hansen. Mary was very proud of her work in Washington and always spoke fondly of her time there. After Senator Hansen retired, Mary and several of her Senate colleagues took an extensive trip through Europe, an experience Mary treasured.
In 1979, Mary moved to Napa, Calif., where her sister and brother-in-law had recently bought a vineyard. There, Mary began a successful career in the thriving Napa Valley wine culture. She dedicated herself to learning everything she could about wines and winemaking. Her expertise earned her roles as director of hospitality at Inglenook and Christian Brothers wineries.
Mary met Barry Groves, a teacher from Elk Grove, Calif., in 1980. The pair formed an instant connection. Their relationship flourished in spite of 12 years of long distance while they continued their careers. They were married in 1992 and settled in Elk Grove.
In Barry, Mary found her ideal match. Barry describes Mary as “the one perfect person in the world” for him. Their devotion to each other was evident to all who knew them. They affectionately referred to themselves as “The Bickersons” in reference to their frequent banter and good-natured disagreements. They loved their life in Elk Grove, where they did everything side by side. Both avid golfers, they spent many happy hours on the golf course together.
Mary will be remembered as a generous and loyal wife, daughter, sister, aunt and friend. Witty and occasionally sharp-tongued, she was never at a loss for words. She always expressed herself with sincerity and trademark perfect grammar. Her family’s Irish heritage was a source of pride for Mary, and she loved to celebrate that history with her family. Though always quite private, she cherished her relationships with family and friends. She will be missed by many.
Mary is survived by her husband, Barry; brother and sister-in-law, Frank and Deb Keogh of Hudson, Wis.; sister, Kathleen Spicer of Napa; cousins, Jayne (Gary) Miller of Sidney, Mont., and Brooks (Wanza) Grantier of Marshall, Mich.; stepdaughters, Terri (Dave) Muro of Folsom, Calif., and Susan Comer of Salome, Ariz.; nieces, Erin (Kyle) and Colleen (Troy); and nephew, Patrick Keogh, all of Denver, Colo.; niece, Pamela Ransom of Twain Harte, Calif.; nephew, Paul Ransom of Concord, Calif.; great-nephew, Owen Ransom; and great-nieces, Norah Godwin and Katie Bratton.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Brooks and Kay; aunt, Betty Grantier; stepmother, Betty Keogh; sister-in-law, Katie Keogh; and brother-in-law, Ron Spicer.
Visitation was held from 12 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, May 30, at Herberger Funeral Home, 9101 Elk Grove Blvd., Elk Grove, CA, 95624. Funeral service was held at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 31, at Herberger Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made in Mary’s name to the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, 3333 3rd Ave., Sacramento, CA 95817, and the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, P.O. Box 137, Medora, ND 58645.