Submitted by: Dan Rich
May 30, 1940 - March 3, 1994
South Bend Tribune 3/3/1994
SOUTH BEND - Mary Joanne Groch, 53,
of 5613 Danbury Drive, died at 7:39 a.m. today in her home after
an illness. Mrs. Groch was employed by Mishawaka School City as a
teacher at John Young Middle School. She was born May 30, 1940,
in Laurel, Ind., and lived in South Bend for 15 years, coming
from Laurel.
On Dec. 1, 1962, in Bloomington, Ind., as
Mary Joanne Sams, she married Donald L. Groch. He
survives, with two daughters, Amanda Raftery of Okinawa,
Japan, and Melissa Groch of South Bend; her mother, Virginia Sams
of Laurel; four sisters, Sandy Miracle, Joy Atkins and
Terri Ryckman, all of Laurel, and Deborah Keene of
Connersville, Ind.; and three brothers, William Sams of
Connersville, Rick Sams of Brookfield, Ind., and Scott Sams of
Laurel. She was a member of Mishawaka Education Association,
Indiana State Teachers Association and Indiana University Alumni
Association.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday in St.
Joseph Funeral Home. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery.
Friends may call from 6 to 9 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. until
service time Saturday in the funeral home. Memorial contributions
may be made to Hospice of St. Joseph County Inc. or the American
Cancer Society.