Obituary of Bennett Groo

GROO, Bennett Arthur, aged 69 of Waldwick, NJ died on October 9, 2007 at The Valley Hospital, Ridgewood, NJ surrounded by his loving family after a five year battle with non hodgkins lymphoma. Mr. Groo was born March 28, 1938 to Arthur Howard and Marion (nee Roe) Groo and resided in Caldwell, NJ. He graduated from Lehigh University, Bethlehem, PA in 1962 receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration. He was a member of Theta Xi fraternity remaining an active alumnus having served several years as the president of the alumni association. Following his graduation Mr. Groo spent six months active duty with the New Jersey National Guard. He spent the majority of his career in the banking business retiring in 2000 as Trust Officer for PNC Bank. On May 9, 1964 Mr. Groo married Nancy Evelyn Dickinson . In 1966 they moved to Waldwick where he resided until his death. During his many years in Waldwick he was active in the Waldwick Jaycees, the Waldwick Baseball Association, Indian Guides and also served on the Waldwick Planning Board. Following his retirement he took up water color painting and studied at the Ridgewood Art Institute. He was also an avid genealogist being on the Board of Trustees of the Orange County, NY Genealogical Society and a member of the Genealogical Society of Bergen County, NJ. He belonged to the Sons of the American Revolution. Mr. Groo is survived by his wife of 43 years Nancy, his son David Allen and his wife Vicki of Chicago, IL, his son Matthew Dunham and his wife Elizabeth of Hoboken, NJ and his daughter Rebecca Lynn and her husband Craig Brenkert of Midland Park, NJ. Also surviving are his four adored grandchildren, Patrick Martin and Megan Emery Groo of Hoboken, NJ and Christopher James and Nicole Evelyn Brenkert of Midland Park, NJ. Visiting is Friday, Oct 12, 2:00 - 4:00 and 7:00 - 9:00 PM at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home (www.vpfh.com). Funeral services will be 10:00 AM on Saturday, October 13, at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home, 257 Godwin Avenue, Wyckoff, NJ 07481. Interment will be following at the Riverside Cemetery in Clinton, NJ. In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial contributions made to Ben Groo Memorial Scholarship, Ridgewood Art Institute, 12 East Glen Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ 07450, or the Waldwick Volunteer Ambulance Corps, PO Box 244, Waldwick, NJ 07463.