Henry A. Groves

Celebratory and commemoratory worship services with military honors will be held in tribute to and memory of Henry Augustus (Gus) Groves, Jr., 55, of Warner Robins at Central Baptist Church at 3 p.m. on December 16, 2004 with the Rev. Sidney Odom and the Rev. Dr. H. Owen Bozeman officiating. Interment will be in Magnolia Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:00 - 8:00 Wednesday evening. McCullough Funeral Home has charge of arrangements. The Lord, his shepherd and sustainer, called home another member of His flock on December 13, 2004 to henceforth have everlasting life and bountiful joy. Even though he will be sadly missed, we are consoled by his God-guaranteed eternal abode.

Throughout his life, Gus knew the meaning of tenacity. A victim of kidney failure from the age of his twenties, only God-granted serenity, dogged determination, intense desire, unmitigated persistence and ruggedness as tough as nails sustained him through 3 organ transplants and thousands of hours of hemodialysis. Despite his illness, he was active with his family and in his church, even managing the sound system at Central Baptist Church until he was too weak to walk. He was widely recognized for his volunteer work with the Kidney Foundation of Georgia and won the 1985 Camp Independence Award in addition to state awards and letters of commendation. He taught Sunday School, served as department secretary and was a church usher. Gus Groves was truly a valiant man being untainted by greed, happy in adversity and composed in a tumult. All must acknowledge that this could be from nothing else but a beam of divinity. Although his life was imperiled from his twenties by poor health, he kept a positive attitude and an undaunted spirit. Gus Groves was courageous to the end displaying an honorable retreat which is in no way inferior to a brave charge. He was an inspiration to all who knew him.

Mr. Groves, the son of Elizabeth Jones Groves and the late Henry Augustus Groves, Sr. was born in Macon, Georgia on November 12, 1949. He attended Warner Robins High School. A Vietnam veteran, he volunteered his services to the U. S. Army in 1968 and 1969. He was a member of Chapter 443 of the Vietnam Veterans of America. After completion of his military service, he worked for Timberlake Grocery Company in Warner Robins until he was disabled by his illness.

He is survived by his wife of 31 years Joyce Hill Groves; his son David Groves of Goshen, Indiana; his mother, Elizabeth J. Groves of Warner Robins; his sister and brother-in-law Linda and Dr. Hugh Johnson of Dublin; his niece Amy Johnson of Boca Raton, Florida; his nephews Rodney Johnson of Augusta and Brian Johnson of Milledgeville; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.

Although we grieve at his absence, we are comforted by the knowledge that he was sustained and soothed by an unfaltering trust in Christ our Lord realizing that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. We pray and know that the same God who has taken Gus Groves to live in Glory will tenderly guard the remainder of the family until we all find shelter in the heavenly fold.


Funeral Home:
McCullough Funeral Home
417 S. Houston Lake Rd.
Warner Robins, GA
US 31088