Mr. Ferris Lineau Grooms

Grooms, Ferris L. (Sonny), 67, died Thursday, February 5, 2015. Son of the late Ferris L. Grooms, Sr. and Louise Ketchum Hill, both of Evergreen and Wilmington, NC, respectively. Ferris received his bachelor's degree from Wake Forest University, and earned an MBA through the University of Utah. Ferris served as an officer in the USAF from 1969-72, serving in the US and Germany. Ferris joined The Aetna Insurance Company, serving in Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, then in Tampa beginning 1981. In I990, he founded Grooms Financial Group in Tampa, specializing in employee benefit services. He loved First Baptist Church Tampa serving as deacon, teacher, and trustee for more than 25 years. Surviving are his wife, Chelle Owen Grooms; children: G. Scot Grooms (Kate); Alison G. Sulker (Cenk); their mother Sue G. Temple; Nicole Owen Stokes (Jimmy); and Kelly Owen; grandsons Kaiden and Kyler Sulker, granddaughters Callie, Brooke and Charlie Stokes – all of Tampa; sister Beth Grooms Coleman (Rick) Kernersville, NC; nephew Bill Coleman (Tiffany), great nephew/niece Austin and Alaina, Roanoke, VA; a paternal aunt and uncle & cousins. There will be a private family memorial service officiated by Ferris’ nephew Dr. Bill Coleman. He will be laid to rest at Garden of Memories. In lieu of flowers, memorials may go to the charity of choice.