He started working at Community Supermarket in Penn Hills at age 14. He moved to a company making office furniture after high school. In January 1960, he would join the US Marine Corps and serve until January 1964. In October of 1960, he was in Cuba and listened to the Pittsburgh Pirates win the world series. In 1962, he was in both Philippines and in Vietnam. After he was discharged from the military, he attending welding school in the evenings. He would learn how to weld and would go from building truck bodies to working on Caterpillar equipment as a journeyman welder and mechanic for 30 years.
In 1962, he would become engaged to Janice E. Greenaway. After leaving the Marines, he would marry the love of his life on June 27, 1964. They had three children.
He accepted Jesus Christ as his personal savior at age 14 and was baptised in the Susquehanna River. He was active in the Christian and Missionary Alliance church. While in Vietnam, he met a missionary and provided assistance wherever possible . He served Christ all his life by providing a Godly example at church, home, work and to his family. His final church was Bridge Church in Virginia Beach.
He loved his country, as seen by his service in the US Marine Corps. But more than that, he loved Jesus and his family. His great joy was being with the family and doing things together, whether working on cars, repairing the house, being on a vacation, or worshiping together in church. He will be missed but the family looks forward to a reunion in heaven where we will all worship Jesus together again .
He was predeceased by his father Roy Iseman Grosz, his mother Louise Rose Grosz, his brother Homer Grosz, and sister Roberta Grosz McGibbeny. He is survived by his brother Paul Grosz in Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, and sisters Naomi Beam of Meadville, Pennsylvania and Lila Grosz of Butler, Pennsylvania. He is also survived by his wife, Janice Grosz of Virginia Beach, Virginia, sons Douglas and William of Virginia Beach, and daughter Jennifer Piasecki and her husband Jason and their children Madeline, Chase, and Augustine (Gus) of Winchester, Virginia.
The family will receive friends on Sunday, January 13, 2019 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Smith & Williams Funeral Home, Kempsville Chapel.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Monday, January 14, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at the funeral home. Interment will be private at Albert G. Horton, Jr. Veterans Cemetery with Military Honors.
In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in memory of Charles to World3Water a faith-based non-profit organization that believes we must bring hope, health and healing through the gift of clean drinking water to those who are suffering and in need because they do not have access to clean water - at http://www.world3water.org/donate/ or to the charity of your choice.
