Gene Francis Groff

Gene Francis Groff

November 18, 1932 - April 1, 2025

Gene and his identical twin, Jerry, were the youngest of 6 children born to Mary and Dan Groff, and grew up in a loving family, supported by a close-knit community in Grayville, Illinois.

Outgoing and gregarious from the get-go, Gene was an athlete, lettering in football, basketball and track before graduating Grayville High School and attending Eastern Illinois State College.

Gene enlisted in the Navy in March, 1951 during the beginning of the Korean War. He served as a top-secret cryptographer at the Naval Communications Facility, Yokosuka, Japan. Recalling his wartime experience, he would say, “I spent 3 years in a cave under a mountain”. During his four-year stint in the Navy he rose to the rank of E4, Teleman Chief Petty Officer 3rd Class and was awarded the National Defense Medal, Good Conduct Medal, Korean Service and United Nations Medals.

Gene married Ruth Ann Stein in 1957, they were blessed with 2 children, Bradley and Jennifer, and Gene was employed by NL Baroid Petroleum Services traveling the country following drilling rigs before ending up in Denver Colorado as the Western Region Sales Manager.

After moving to Oklahoma in 1986, Gene met Ann Boyle Belknap, they married in 1993 and enjoyed 33 years together in Norman. These were years in which Gene’s outgoing, gregarious nature served him well. He was well-loved, not only in their neighborhood and church (St. Stephens United Methodist Church), but also around town, as he volunteered and visited folks. His frequent loud laughter and tell-it-like-it-is nature made Gene the life of the party, he was quite the local character!

Gene’s personality was an asset daily as he cared for lawns all over Norman. To quote his long-time neighbors on Mockingbird Lane, “for many years, there wasn’t a lawn safe from his rogue/ninja mowing services. Gene cut a wide swath in our neighborhood, mowed most every lawn whether we asked him to or not. He travelled the neighborhood on his riding mower, stopping wherever he found someone to visit with. We will never forget him.”

As if not active enough, at age 50, Gene reconnected with his inner athlete, and began running and biking. This became a devotion for Gene, he was popular in local running and biking groups, trained long and hard, even finishing the 1994 Boston Marathon at age 61, with nephew Mike by his side.

Gene’s volunteer spirit served many local organizations (Meals on Wheels, American Cancer Society, Norman Running Club, Food and Shelter for Friends, The Christmas Store and Norman High School Cross Country and Track) and Gene was named United Way of Norman Senior Volunteer of the Year 2002.

Gene maintained a multi-decade sobriety and a lifelong open heart for all ages, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender identities, economic brackets and walks of life.

Gene was predeceased by his wife, Ann, his parents and siblings (Margaret, Harold, Paul, Helen, and Jerry), his precious daughter, Jennifer, and Gene’s stepson, Hal Belknap.

Gene is survived by good friend and former wife, Ruth Ann Groff, son Brad and wife Mindy, their children Lori, Debbie, Robert, Samuel and Cortney, and 13 awesome great-grandchildren: Jaylynne, Jozlynne, Timothy, Ryan, Amber, Erica, Katie, Ryker, Rayden, Hayes, Hadley, Peyton and Jennifer, named after Gene and Ruth Ann’s daughter.

Also surviving Gene are Hal’s wife, Janie Belknap, and Ann’s daughter, Jamie Belknap, her husband Joe Hausknecht, and Gene’s grandchildren: Jeremy Foor, Gordon Foor-Rhoades (wife Taylor and son Theodore), Emilia Belknap (Calum Frain) and Leila Belknap (Eric Rahill). Gene is also survived by many nephews and nieces, including devoted niece, Mary Ann Spencer Legler.

Special thanks go out to Arbor House of Norman Assisted Living for their years of TLC and toleration of his many antics.

“It’s been a good life and it owes me nothing.” (Gene)

A memorial service will be held at 10:00am Wednesday, April 16, 2025 at St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church, 1801 W Brooks St, Norman, OK 73069. The service will include full military honors.

In lieu of flowers, Gene requests donations to The Virtue Center and St. Stephen’s United Methodist Church (Norman).

https://secure.myvanco.com/L-ZCT0/campaign/C-101SC

https://www.thevirtuecenter.org/donate