Clarice Grove

Clarice Grove, age 104, went to be with her Savior, Jesus Christ, on May 5, 2025. She lived at Rosario Assisted Living in Anacortes, Washington with Hospice care since February 4, 2025. She had lived with her son Jim and his wife Susan, at their home in Anacortes, since August 2020. Clarice was born at home on April 1, 1921, near Rogue River, Oregon. Her parents were James and Mary Walter. She had six siblings: Elenore, Louie, Frank, Bess, Fred and Melvin. Her parents, brothers and sisters all preceded her in death. Her youngest brother, Melvin, was born with disabilities and died at age 8. The Walter family had a large sheep ranch in Oregon. Two years of hard winter weather ended their sheep ranching business. Clarice’s family then moved to Cowiche, Washington during the Great Depression years. The family lived in a cabin, owned by friends of her parents, for about two years. The Walter family then moved to a ten-acre area of land, with a house on it, between Grandview and Prosser, Washington. During Clarice’s sophomore year of high school, the family moved to a house on land her parents bought at Belma Road, near Grandview. She was a graduate of Grandview High School in 1940. In 1940, Clarice met Irl Grove during the years she worked at the Yakima County hospital located in the West Valley area of Yakima. Clarice’s older brother, Louie Walter, had a service station at East Selah. Irl was a customer who bought fuel there. Clarice met Irl one day at Louie’s service station. Clarice and Irl were married in Yakima on November 20, 1941. After the infamous Pearl Harbor military disaster in Hawaii, on December 7, 1941, Irl enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He was assigned to the European area of World War 2. Clarice moved to Seattle, was hired at Boeing and became a lathe-machine operator. She helped build B-17 airplanes. With some of her income, she bought ten acres of land, on Walnut Lane, near Grandview, Washington. It had a cherry orchard planted on it. This property became the Grove Family Home site, until it was sold in December 2024 by her widowed daughter-in-law Sydney Grove, who then moved to Idaho to live with family there. Clarice and Irl’s oldest son, Jim, was born in 1946 and their son Roger was born in 1949. Clarice was a talented salesperson. She sold Compact brand vacuum cleaners in the 1960’s. Later, she began selling Shaklee products. Irl soon joined her in that business. They trained many Shaklee Distributors and were Shaklee Supervisors for many years. In 1962, they removed their prune orchard and began growing concord grapes on their land. The grape vineyard is still in production. Clarice and Irl Grove were active parents of their two sons, who had many 4-H Club and Future Farmers of America activities. Both Jim and Roger were awarded trips to the National 4-H Club Convention in Chicago because they excelled in 4-H Club project and leadership experiences. Clarice’s family grew after her sons married. Jim married Susan Hayes in 1969. They live in Anacortes, Washington. Jennifer and C.J. Grove are their children. C.J. married Naomi Watts in 2014. Their sons are Charlie, age 6, Timmy, age 4 and Ethan, age 2. Their family lives in Bothell, Washington. Roger married Sydney Sweet in 1978. Joshua and Katie are their children. Joshua married Jill Shreve in 2000. Their daughters are Aspen, age 13 and Ryan, age 8. Katie married Jason Powell in 2013. Their daughter Haylee, is age 6 and son Jonathan, is age 3 months. Clarice is survived by many nieces and nephews and friends who loved her dearly. Clarice’s granddaughter, Jennifer Grove died on May 3, 2022 at the age of 47, from a brain tumor. Clarice’s son, Roger Grove, died on March 1, 2023 at the age of 73, during an automobile accident near Sunnyside, Washington. Sydney Grove, Roger’s widow, now lives in Idaho with her daughter Katie and family in Caldwell, and near her son Joshua and his family, who live in Middleton, Idaho. Many times, Clarice expressed her desire to be with Jesus and her loved ones, who preceded her into the presence of Jesus. Clarice believed God’s promise of salvation as expressed in John 3:16-17, “For God so loved the world, that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” In Jude, verse 21, we read about the assurance Clarice had that she was saved: “Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” Clarice’s Celebration of Life Service will be at 11 A.M. on Saturday, May 31, 2025 at the Valley Hills Funeral Home, 531 South 16 th Street, Sunnyside, WA 98944. Their website is: www.valleyhillsfh.com Clarice will be buried at the Tahoma National Cemetery, in Kent, Washington on Thursday, June 12, 2025 at 1:30pm. She will be next to her husband, Irl Grove, who was buried there in 2009. The family suggests memorial donations to your favorite charity, instead of flower gifts. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Clarice Grove, please visit our flower store.