Stephanie Ann Grooms

Stephanie Ann Grooms was born on September 4, 1948 in Kearney, Nebraska. She is survived by her siblings Lynn Bradburn, Carol Armstrong, David Hale, James Hale, Allan Hale and Nancy Jochem. She was preceded in death by her parents Harvey and Marjorie Hale, her brother Thomas Edward and her beloved husband Reginald Grooms.

Born into a large family, everyone she met was shown love and compassion, each one becoming part of her family. She was always smiling. No matter what, or how she felt, or what was happening she was ALWAYS SMILING.

Stephanie was a spirited woman from top to bottom, start to finish. The stories of her adventures and conversations could fill more than the time we have to share this evening as we gather to celebrate her life and legacy. But if you had the pleasure of sharing a few moments, an afternoon, or a lifetime with her then you know her light, you know her love and you have felt the inspiration of her strength.

Stephanie had many nicknames throughout her life. As a child her Grandpa called her Mud and her Mom called her Mike. A bright eyed blonde haired eight year old Stephanie was playing in the dirt one day when her brother David (whom was especially adept at pushing her buttons as siblings close in age have a knack for) stabbed her in the hand with a two pronged fork.

Another afternoon in her childhood found her at home with her sisters, her Mom otherwise occupied at the moment, her sister Carol decided Stephanie could use a haircut, so as a big sister she obliged and snipped off her two braids while Stephanie sat perfectly still.

As a budding young woman Stephanie had an abundance of beaus. She enjoyed going on double dates with her sister Carol or her childhood and lifelong friend, Vicky Graves.

She worked at a bakery as a teenager.

She attended LPN school in Omaha, Nebraska at the Old Saint Joseph’s Hospital.

Stephanie borrowed her sisters clothing, often returning them a bit worse for wear, and then proclaiming her innocence in the matter. Her dresser drawers were kept in perfect order. Everything folded neatly, leaving ample space for a mouse to build a nest. Whereas her sister Carol’s drawers were stuffed full, leaving no room for even a tiny mouse to fit. Well, a mouse moved in to Stephanie’s drawers and ate a hole through her favorite sweater. She was furious, how could that tiny mouse eat so much and why her favorite sweater? How unfair.

On December 23, 1966 Stephanie married Jack Klinzmann, Amy Pearson and Scott Klinzmann we born to two proud parents.

In the early years of the 1970’s Stephanie was living in Kansas City with her young family. Scott was toddler and decided to take a run down the street in his birthday suit. He was caught by a neighbor named Nellie Hickey, a lovely lady and a woman of great faith who changed the course of Stephanie’s life by bringing her into the Church of Christ.

Stephanie’s faith in the Lord encompassed every aspect of her life. Her faith will forever resonate as a beacon for all those she inspired with her dedication. She remained a spitfire woman, but kept out a gentle guiding hand. Never judgmental, leading any and all to the open arms and comforts of the faithful. Her brother Jim remembers when he was going through dark times, she never looked down on him, but showed love acceptance and helped to guide him to the light of the Lord. She included bible verses in notes and cards for anyone who needed it, seeming to always choose exactly the words that needed to be heard. She read and studied the bible daily, gleaning wisdom and sharing the word with all around her. An incredible woman of faith, she was thankful for the disease which ravaged her body because it stopped her in her tracks and when she looked up, she found the Lord. All the suffering was worth it to her, to have the hope and the love and the peace that her faith infused into her life and being.

When her sister Nancy left for her honeymoon Stephanie gave her a card with this verse written inside. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8 Focusing on the positive parts of life, keeping on the Sunnyside and always finding a silver lining in every cloud, no matter the storms, no matter how dark, Stephanie was the sunshine. These words resonated through Nancy’s life, helping to keep her on the straight and narrow and guiding her in light and positivity.

Every time she was helped buckle into a vehicle; there were showers of kisses and giggles.

When asked if she liked to eat something her response was, “I like everything except sardines, anchovies and pickled herring.”

While standing in line at the airport, the elastic waistband gave out on her slip and it dropped to her feet. She looked down and said “Oh, my scarf!” She scooped up the slip and tossed it in her purse with a nonchalant shrug.

One day at Amy and Jeff’s house, her grandson Kyle was taking a nap on the couch in the living room. She was making her way through the house and tripped on the bump between tile and carpeting. He swooped in and caught her before she hit the ground. She showered her ‘Superman’ with hugs and thanks. “She never let me forget, and always made me feel like Superman, the way she made everyone around her feel important.”

A two year old named Steve Tomlinson with a skill for naming Grandmas came by for a visit and she was singing one of her mainstay tunes “The Motorcycle Song” by Arlo Guthrie. “I don’t want a pickle! I just want to ride my motorcycle.” The name Grandma Pickle stuck and soon all of the kids were calling her Grandma Pickle. She embraced the name saying, “I’m Pickle. Sometimes I’m a dill pickle, sometimes I’m a sweet pickle, sometimes I’m a bread and butter pickle and sometimes I am a sour pickle.”

She was always singing or humming a tune. Stephanie loved music. Some of her favorites were Josh Baby (Groban) and Boccelli. But whether you could sing like the angels or if couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket with two hands, she always had eager ears and encouraging words for anyone willing to share a song with her.

On July 1, 1990 Stephanie and Reginald Grooms were married and she gathered two more wonderful children into her heart and family, Troy Grooms and Kim Dexter. Steph and Reg met in 1976 on Brooks Air force base in San Antonio, Texas, they lived across the street from one another, as kindred spirits, their friendship grew through the years. They built a warm and welcoming home together where you could see ‘Mister Mountain’ (Mt. Rainer) from their backyard and out of the bathroom window with some coaching (provided by Stephanie herself) and leaning. His nickname for her was Sweets. So much love, tenderness and happiness were shared between them. We can find peace in knowing that they have been reunited once more. She and Reggie moved to Seattle in 1990, where they lived happily for eighteen years together. She loved to walk through the bustling Pikes Market. She stopped to smell all of the flowers, watch the fish fly, listen to the fish mongers songs and shouts and to take a picture next to Rachel, the big brass pig statue, insisting that every visitor pose for a picture with the big pig. She loved coffee, savoring the smells, her favorite was Starbucks coffee frappacinno.

She loved plants and flowers, nautical themes, birds and soaking up gorgeous sunsets every chance she got. She loved life. She loved love. She loved deeply. She loved. Stephanie was an avid reader, who strongly believed in teaching all children to read. Reading took her around the world, through the stars and over every horizon. Every morning she would sit on the porch listening to the birds, watering her crops on the back forty (any plants in the vicinity) and drinking coffee.

Stephanie often imagined herself running on the tops of the wheat fields or across the tops of the trees, naked and free. She would truly transport her body and spirit to other places in her mind. She now has her new body, free and running, yes finally running and flying. Her favorite verse illuminates her hope and deepest belief in the promise of shedding her broken body for a brand new one and to sing with the angels praises to her Lord.

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

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