John Samuel Grosh, Jr. of Tifton went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Thursday, March 16, 2017. His funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 22, 2017 in the Memorial Chapel of Tifton’s First Baptist Church with Dr. Wayne Roe and the Rev. Dennis Rogers officiating. Mr. Grosh will be laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends Wednesday, March 22, 2017, from 1:00 p.m. until the hour of the service in the Memorial Chapel of Tifton’s First Baptist Church.
Rusty Autry, J. C. “Spud” Bowen, Bill Taylor, Dan Gagnon. J. Carson Bowen, Dr. Gary Baxter and Guy Haynes will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be the Deacons of Tifton’s First Baptist Church.
John was born on September 11, 1924 in Los Angeles, California. He graduated from high school in Miami, Arizona in 1942. As a member of the Greatest Generation, he proudly enlisted in the Marines and went off to boot camp at Camp Lejeune in San Diego. During this time, he was selected for officer training and was sent to Naval Flight School in Pensacola, Florida. There, along with classmate, former president George H. W. Bush, he was trained to be a fighter pilot and flew many missions in the Pacific during World War II.
Upon returning from the war, he married the love of his life, Helen Katherine Brazil. In 1952, he was recalled to duty and was a reconnaissance pilot in the Korean War. In 1954, he returned from duty in Korea and was offered a position with the Federal Aviation Administration. In the 1960s, when the U. S. government converted air traffic control to a computerized system, he played an integral role in this transition. In 1982, he retired from the U. S. Civil Service and moved to Tifton.
John is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 62 years, Helen; his parents, John and Hazel Grosh, Sr. and two sisters, Eleanor Benner and Clara Fairfield. John is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Susan Victoria Grosh Farmer (Jesse) and Katherine Virginia Grosh Garvey (Pete) and five grandchildren, Tricia Farmer Redenius, John Gregory Farmer, Jennifer Garvey Haynes (Chad), Allison Garvey Faircloth (Will), Jonathan Garvey (Mallory); great-grandchildren, Isabelle Redenius, Claire Haynes, Maggie Haynes, Mitch Faircloth, Gavin Faircloth, Sam Faircloth and Sadie Garvey; and niece and nephew, Pam Goodwin and Al Miner.
John Grosh, as seen through the eyes of his family and the people he came in contact with on a day-to-day basis, set a living example of what the true Walk with the Lord really entailed. As a family, we agree that he is waltzing with Helen, our dear Mama, on the streets of gold. We know how he missed her for these last nine years, but he fought the good fight and continuously shared the Good News. Although we will miss him, we know where he and mama are and have no doubt we will all be together one day.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to the First Baptist Church of Tifton Central to Love Campaign, 404 Love Avenue, Tifton, GA 31794.