Richard Oliver Grove

Richard Oliver Grove "Dick", age 87, of Cottonwood, California passed away peacefully from this life the evening of March 22, 2024, after a short battle with Pancreatic Cancer. He was surrounded and supported by his loving family and friends during the last days of his life. Dick was born at home in Visalia, CA on May 24, 1936 to Hub and Gussie (Lusk) Grove. To that union two more children were born; a brother William (Bill) and sister Betty Jo.

He had a rambling childhood full of adventures and learning as well as instruction from his father - who taught him skills to make a living: engine repair, transmission work, tires, welding (which required specific measurements and degree and compound angles). Give him a problem and he could figure it out, like his dad. His favorite was to make a tool for a specific application that didn't already exist.

Childhood recollections from Taft (shade from skinny wood oil derricks), learning to swim in Steven Creek near San Jose.

It was in Marina when he met and married Lareeda. He raised a daughter Jacqueline and a son, Richard Jr. (and now 4 grands and 3 great grands). Employment took him to the south bay and eventually San Jose. He bought a Studebaker for work transportation and started a local Studebaker Drivers Club chapter: The Golden Pacific. The Bar Area was a treasure trove of used vehicles and he collected many. Living in tract housing was too confining for him. When his dad passed, who wanted to move to the mountains when he retired, Dick took up that dream and moved to the mountains - Feather Falls, above Lake Oroville. He toiled almost 30 years creating the home place called "The Old 76" on 7 wooded acres. He remodeled his house, built a barn and then a 40x60 shop, had a mobile saw mill where he made fencing and also cut his own fire wood. He commuted to Chico where he wrenched on Caterpillar iron for 20 years of that time - 50 years in the Operating Engineers Union.

In 1991 he married Norma Hetzler Jordan at Studebaker Drivers Club convention and Show in Springfield, MO. After retirement in 1996, they traveled extensively in the US doing genealogy and car shows. They bought a vintage camp trailer which they pulled behind either of his 1962 Studebaker Champ pickups for enjoyable camping trips and a feature exhibit at car shows.

In 2001 Dick moved all his "stuff", (took 30 days and several trucks each day), and created the Studebaker Ranch and oversaw the Grove 10-acre compound. The shop is full of completed and in process projects. He freely gave up parts for others to complete their rides.

Dick will be remembered by family and friends as a loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather who will truly be missed. Dick was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife and daughter. He is survived by his wife Norma of 32 years, brother William and sister Betty, son Richard Jr. , step daughter Matha Cleveland, grandkids Roger and Scottie Grove, Janelle and David Gutierrez and great grands Jenna and Julia Buteau and Angelica Gutierrez.

He made friends all along his journey in life. He was a current member of The Studebaker Drivers Club - which he supported since 1969 - holding many offices and sponsoring extensive trips, The American Truck Historical Society, The Orphan Classic Car Club in Redding. He was also a published author and Genealogist.