Obituary of Abner Glen Grover

Abner (Ab) Glen Grover  born May 15, 1933 in Hanna, Alberta, passed away peacefully with his family by his side at the Oyen Long Term Care on July 31, 2024, at the age of 91.

Ab was the first son born to Glen and Hazel Grover (Boyd), joining his older sister, Thelma, and later welcoming younger siblings Archie, Gordon and Margaret. His early years were spent on the family farm north of Hanna in the Garden Plains area. To ensure he could attend school during the winter months, Ab stayed with his grandparents, Harry and Myrtle Grover (Burns), in town.

In 1942, the family moved to Youngstown, Alberta when Ab’s father was appointed Road Foreman for Special Areas. Ab completed his schooling in Youngstown and later pursued further education in Calgary, Alberta from 1953-1954, where he earned his Red Seal in Automatic Transmissions and his mechanics license. His professional journey began at Cereal Motors in Cereal, Alberta, following by a role at Bosch Motors in Oyen, Alberta, where his expertise in automatic transmissions was highly valued.

In 1954, Ab met the love of his life, Regina Dick. They married on July 21, 1954, in Oyen, Alberta, and settled in the community where Ab initially worked as a mechanic before transitioning to the role of Pest Control Officer in 1957. His dedication to keeping Alberta pest-free was a point of pride for him. In 1959, Ab shifted careers to become the Office Manager for the Special Areas office in Oyen, eventually moving to Consort, Alberta in 1967 as an Office Administrator/Fieldman. In 1975, the Grover family moved to Hanna, Alberta, where Ab served as a Board Member and later appointed Chairman of the Special Areas Board until his retirement in 1991.

Throughout 66 years of marriage, Ab and Regina (Jean) were blessed with seven children: Dennis, Ken, Lorna, Carol, Janet, Brian and Ron. Ab was a devoted father who spent many years coaching his children’s hockey and baseball teams. He loved hunting, often bringing home game and sharing his hunting tales. The Grover family enjoyed numerous camping, boating, fishing, and waterskiing adventures, creating cherished memories at Gooseberry Lake Cabin and later the purchase of a motor home.  In their later years, Ab and Jean took up golf, which became a beloved activity for them both.

Ab’s joy was further enriched by his cousin Arnold’s frequent flying visits, which Ab eagerly looked forward to. Family was central to Ab’s life, and he was always there to lend a helping hand or fix anything that needed repair.

Ab and Jean spent 19 winters traveling south, where they met and traveled with friends and family, creating lasting memories. Ab was also a dedicated member of the Kinsmen club, K40’s, a volunteer firefighter and earlier on he acted as a volunteer ambulance driver for patients and hospital staff, using his station wagon.

Ab and Jean left Hanna in November 2019 and made the move to the Oyen Lodge in Oyen, Alberta.

After Jean’s passing in July 2021, Ab moved to the Oyen Long Term Care, where he lived until his passing. He leaves behind a legacy of love and family, remembered by his children; Dennis (Penny) Grover, Ken (Kathy) Grover, Lorna (Matthew) Robinson, Carol (Rod†) Carriere, Janet (Gordon) Resch, Brian (Darlene) Grover and Ron (Laura) Grover, 21 grandchildren, and 46 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brothers Archie (Sandy) Grover and Gordon (Donna) Grover, brothers-in-law Fred Kautz, Paul Dick, Willy (Rita) Dick, Robert (Mabel) Dick, Gordon Dick and Gordon Paetz, along with many nieces, nephews, extended family and numerous friends.

Ab was predeceased by his beloved wife Jean, his parents Glen and Hazel Grover, his mother and father-in-law Peter and Catherine Dick, sisters Thelma Paulson and Margaret Kautz, sisters-in-law Teresa Dick, Rita Paetz, Bonnie Dick and Rose Marie Rude, brother-in-law Claire Paulson, son-in-law Rod Carriere and great-granddaughter June Resch.

Ab will be deeply missed by all who knew him, and his memory will live on in the hearts of his family and friends.