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Emma (Moschkau) Groom

Posted 2015-04-19 by Sharla
The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona,
Sunday, April 19, 2015

Emma A. Groom, age 94, passed away at her home in Phoenix, Arizona on April 10, 2015. She was born on July 27, 1920 to Emil and Minnie Moschkau in Almena, Wisconsin. She was one of 10 children born on the family dairy farm.

She was raised in rural Wisconsin and was the only member of her family to complete high school, having to move from home and board with another family to accomplish this. After high school, she married Norman Stoen and they moved to Phoenix. Her husband passed away shortly thereafter.

Emma worked as a waitress at the old Adams Hotel and Greenway Coffee Shop in downtown Phoenix. She met and then married Michael F. Groom in 1948. Chief Charlie Thomas of the Phoenix Police Department recruited her to work for that agency after meeting her at her work. She began as a jail matron in the old City Jail and then in 1956, was sworn as one of the first female police officers in Phoenix.

Her serial number was 298. Officer Groom worked various assignments with PPD until retiring in 1976, being the first female officer to reach full retirement. She was truly a pioneer in her field and was reportedly the oldest living retired officer prior to her death.

Emma and her husband raised five sons, Michael Paul, Thomas Alan (Lee), Kenneth William (Melissa), Anthony Joseph (Carla), and James Patrick (Lori). She was preceded in death by her two husbands; sons Michael and Anthony; and daughter-in-law Lori. Emma was blessed with eight grandchildren; and nine great grandchildren.

Services are pending in West Plains, Missouri. She will be interred alongside her late husband and son in the family plot on Legacy Ranch in Missouri. Our mother and grandmother will be greatly missed!

Information provided by survivors.




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