GROVE, Irene Frances

Kingman Daily Miner, Kingman, AZ - Published on January 8, 2014 - Irene Frances (Olson) Grove, 90, was promoted to Heaven to be with Jesus. She was born June 14, 1923 in Webster, S.D., to Iver and Frieda Olson. At four years old, a farmhouse fire took her mother and brother's lives and left her with severe burns. She lived with many family members during the Depression and after graduating from high school in Roslyn, S.D., moved to Oregon to work during World War II. She married a farmer and logger, Willis Grove, and had three children. She has lived in Kingman the last 50 years. At the age of 50, her lifelong dream of becoming a nurse came true. She was in the first graduating class from Mohave Community College and worked the next 15 years at the hospital, food bank and church. She loved travel, word games, cooking and being with loved ones. She drew strength from her faith in God and loved her church family. She is preceded in death by her husband, Willis, and her son, Bruce Grove. She is survived by her son, David (Mandy) Grove of Salt Lake City, Utah; daughter, Shirley (Cliff) Foster of Kingman; grandchildren, Jamie, Matthew and Lisa; and six great-grandchildren. Her favorite word was "Uff da" - a Norwegian word for anything from good to bad. She always wore a hat and loved the color blue. Come honor her with one of these as we celebrate her life at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 11, at Manzanita Baptist Church, 2040 Golden Ave. in Kingman.