GROWW HOST'S MEMORIAL

REMEMBERING OUR HOSTS

IN MEMORY

Judy Divers, GROWW Founder

The dictionary does not hold enough adjectives to describe the remarkable person our Beloved Founder Judy Divers was. Her caring and compassion were felt by all who entered her chatrooms. This Website is her legacy and a living memorial to her selfless dedication to helping broken hearts mend.

Jim Kennedy

Jim dedicated himself to the continuation of Judy's very great gift of the GROWW community she founded. Her greatest wish was for this family to flourish and to help many thousands more share compassion on the Web. Jim kept that wish alive each and every day.

Jim thought of GROWW as his and Judy's baby. They ate drank and slept GROWW. No sacrifice was too great to insure that a helping hand would be there to reach out and help the grieving person.

Trip

Her name was Linda but to everyone who loved her, she was Trip (TripL155). She was lady who lived a life of tremendous pain but because of that pain, understood so well how to give love and encouragement to everyone she met who needed to believe in something again. She touched the lives of thousands. I saw how people listened to her wisdom and clung to her every word. Her gifts to the world were many but there are some that will live on as her legacy of love. WWAngels, a support group for parents who lost children was "born" when Trip agreed to help us lead this group that still meets today.   From there she joined GROWW in the beginning stages and helped its growth by agreeing to lead Heavenly Angels and Timeless Angels. Support groups for the loss of children and support for our members who suffered the effects of long termed illnesses. Trip then agreed to become Director of Branches for GROWW. She worked night and day to help build the GROWW community. Today and always, Heavenly Angels will be known as Trip's Heavenly Angels because the day she left us, on her "birthday to heaven", she left behind the greatest gifts of love and dedication to something she so strongly believed in. Thousands will remember Trip for the beauty that she gave to this world and for the beauty that will be forevermore because of a great lady. Trip, my beloved friend, I shall always cherish our friendship and be thankful forever for having you in my life. Judy Divers

Trip receives five stars from GROWW for her dedication as Director of Branches, Manager of Heavenly Angels, Manager of Timeless Angels, Host for Grief Recovery and Our very "Special Angel"

Adean

Adean lost her husband, Howard, on February 9, 1998 in a 3-car auto accident. Howard and Adean met in college and were married on July 19, 1952 in St. Louis. They were blessed with four children. Allen in November, 1953, Barbara and Beverly, July, 1955 and Janet, July, 1957. She was in her last year of nurse's training when they married and became an R.N. in 1953 and worked part time while the children were growing up. Howard pursued a career in sports journalism and was publisher of a monthly bowling newspaper at the time of his death. Adean, with the aid of Allen and Beverly, resumed publication of this paper. She accidentally found GROWW about 5 weeks after his death while still in the "numb" stage of grief. The outpouring of love, support, and understanding was overwhelming and with the support and family, friends, and the GROWW family, she was able to take many forward steps in coping with the loss suffered so unexpectedly. We at GROWW count it among our blessings that she found this place.

Manager for Golden Angels (Members 50 or better), Host for GROWW for Widowed, Host for Unexpected Angels

Gigi

Gigi was born and raised in NM.  She met her husband while he was stationed at Kirkland Air Force base in Albuquerque, NM.  They married August 30, 1969, and moved to Irving, TX and raised two daughters.  After 21 years of marriage, Gigi's life changed forever on June 25th, 1990 at 9:10 PM.  Bill was killed by a DWI driver. She went on alone to keep his dream in life and built a race team in his memory.  It is through this racing and computers, Gigi found Judy Divers and GROWW.  ((((((((Hugs))))))))

Host for GADD (GROWW against Drunk Driving), Host for Grief Recovery

Gerry

Gerry's late wife gave him two special gifts.  The first was her son, Keith and the second was a copy of the "Serenity Prayer" engraved on glass.  He often wonder if she knew what was to happen in their lives.  She died at the age of 36, just less than 3 years after we were married.   For those that don't know the prayer, it reads:

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and the widsom to know the difference."

About six months after she passed, Gerry stumbled into Grief Recovery. He could never recall how he found it, but what he discovered there were people who helped him find the serenity he needed in his life. When he was asked to host he was scared, but he was given the courage to help others as he had been helped. Gerry believed in the promise that GROWW works. He wished with all his heart that there was no need for GROWW in our lives, but he was equally grateful with all his heart that Judy had the strength and courage to start it.
                               

Host for Grief Recovery, Host for GROWW For Widowed

GRHostMarilyn - May 23, 2005

I lost my husband Ken of 48 years to Lung Cancer on June 30, 2002. He had fought the battle for a year, but Cancer finally won. After Ken died my sister Colleen became my special support person. She was the one who went with me to put the first flowers on Ken’s grave. We walked the cemetery and little did I know that she would die of a blood clot a couple months later on September 16, 2002, and that she would be buried near Ken.

I have two grown married children and six grandchildren who live near me. I also have a ten year old cat that keeps me company. I keep busy with volunteer work for the local Historical Commission, but the days were still long. In November I found Groww and have been here almost every day since. It has been such a wonderful place to come to be with people who understand what it is to lose someone. Then my Mom suffered a major stroke and died on October 30, 2003. The many friends that I have made here have helped me to cope with these losses. I am honored to be a host and to be there to let the new people know that we are here for them.

GRHostBettyW

Betty Lou Wilson, 74, died Aug. 15, 2005, at St. Lucie Medical Center in Port St. Lucie. She was born in Purcell, Okla., and lived in Port St. Lucie for five years, coming from Crockett, Texas. She at tended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla. Before retirement, she was the owner/operator of Betty Wilson Draperies in Deer Park, Texas, for 15 years. She was a member of Walton Road Baptist Church and GROW, a bereavement support group, both in Port St. Lucie. Survivors include her daughter, Pamela Cenk of Port St. Lucie; brothers, Ralph Parker, Bob Parker and Bill Parker, all of Tulsa, Okla.; four grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by her husband, Llewellyn E. Wilson; and son, Terry Lee Wilson. Memorial contributions may be made to Walton Road Baptist Church, 2001 S.E. Walton Road, Port St. Lucie, FL 34952. SERVICES: A memorial service will be at 1 p.m. Aug. 18 at Walton Road Baptist Church, with the Rev. Steve Moore officiating. Burial will be in Parvin Cemetery in Okeene, Okla. Local arrangements are by Byrd, Young & Prill Port St. Lucie Funeral Home.

Published on TCPalm.com on 8/16/2005.