Grover Samuel Corum Jr.

March 2, 1936 - February 23, 2024

Grover passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early morning hours of Friday, February 23 of 2024 at the age of 87.

He was born March 2 of 1936 to Grover and Millie Morrison Corum of Leakesville, North Carolina.

In Grover’s youth he enjoyed the outdoors, fishing and hunting with his father, brothers, and friends. During the summers he would help work in the tobacco fields with one of his uncles. There may have even been some help running shine in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains that could have led to his life-long love of stock car racing.

He attended John Motely Morehead High School beginning in 1952, the first year the school opened.

At the age of 17, he enlisted in the United States Air Force on February 2, 1954 and did his basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas. This is where he found his love for the Texas Hill Country to the northwest and knew one day he would find his way back. Grover then went to Lowry AFB in Colorado where he studied aviation electronics and radar systems. From there he was stationed at Lincoln AFB in Nebraska, with the 307th A&E Maintenance Squadron. He also served at Lakenheath Royal Air Force Station, 20 miles northeast of Cambridge, England. During which on July 27, 1956 one of the B-47, from Lincoln AFB, crashed on the runway and into an igloo holding three Mark 6 nuclear bombs and 24,000 lbs of high explosives.

After Grover’s time in military service, he worked for Russell Stover Candy Company in Lincoln as supervisor at the production plant from 1957 to 1959, while also working as a Management Trainee at the West Central Regional Office for State Farm Life Insurance Company. Working his way up to Service Superintendent in 1971 and then moving the family to Dallas, Texas where he worked at the Southwest Regional Office till 1972. When the new South Texas office opened in Austin, Texas, he was promoted to Life Company Department Manager. In 1978, Grover again rose through the ranks to Senior Staff Assistant at the Corporate Headquarters in Bloomington, Illinois, retiring from State Farm in June of 1980. Moving back to Austin, Texas, he opened the Grover S. Corum Insurance Agency representing Farmers Insurance Companies. At the end of 1981, he started his second long career with the Texas Department of Insurance. He held many positions along the way to become Department Director of the Automobile Division for the State of Texas and retired in December of 2005.

After Grover’s second retirement, he moved back to his hometown in North Carolina. There he opened up Grover‘s Collectables selling antiques he had refinished. In 2007, he moved back to Texas, finding a home in Hutto, just outside of Austin.

He enjoyed annual winter family ski trips. During summer months, he enjoyed camping, fishing, and boating with his family and golfing with his friends. Grover was very involved with his sons’ various sports. He took lessons to learn the game of soccer to become the neighborhood coach. Grover also sponsored the team and purchased uniforms for them. He would once again become a sponsor, this time for CP Racing, a BMX team.

Grover was also an avid antique collector, having almost 100 antique clocks at one time. He enjoyed tinkering with the precision and intricacies of their mechanics.

Gardening came natural to him as he had a true green thumb. He would grow so many tomatoes he would leave grocery sacks full of them with his neighbors.

Grover was a faithful life-long Christian, accepting Christ as his Lord and Savior as a child in Draper, North Carolina. He was well respected among his peers in the insurance industry and was a treasured friend to associates, church members, and neighbors alike.

Grover’s passing is mourned by his family, friends, and all those whose lives he touched, but they find comfort in knowing he has entered the Kingdom of Heaven and is in the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Grover’s memory will forever live on in the hearts of his loved ones who find solace in his legacy of love, faithfulness, kindness, and generosity he left behind.

Grover is preceded in death by his father, Grover Corum Sr. and his mother, Millie Morrison Corum; his brothers, Paul, Teddy, Ronny, and Joe Corum; his sister, Elsie Corum Axsom; Troy and Randal’s mother, Joann Corum of Lincoln, NE.

He is survived by his sister, Mary Lee Corum Steagall; his sons, Troy (Shelly) Corum and Randal (Angelisa) Corum of Lincoln, NE; Mark Prellop of Cedar Park, TX; and Travis Corum of Hutto, TX; granddaughters, Katy Prellop of Cedar Park, TX; Elizabeth Corum and Sophia Corum of Hickman, NE; grandson, Weston Corum of Lincoln, NE; Mark and Travis’ mother, Darlene Collins of Austin, TX; and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless friends.

We want to express our greatest appreciation for Nicole and Rosemary, as well as all the caregivers and staff at Wells Point Lodge Assisted Living. We are so thankful for their love, attention, care, and friendship to Grover and our family.

Grover will be laid to rest during a private graveside service at Hillsdale Cemetery in Coryell County, Texas.

In memory of Grover, charitable donations may be made to the Texas Kidney Foundation.

https://txkidney.org/donate/