Sidney M. Groom Jr.

 

Sidney M. Groom Jr.

 

January 27, 1925 – February 22, 2015

 

Groom youngerGroom olderKnown for his zest of life, determination and fortitude, Sid M. Groom, Jr. passed into Heaven February 22, 2015. He lived his life to the fullest and made this last journey with that same strength of spirit that characterized his entire life.  Sidney Marshall Groom, Jr. was born January 27, 1925 at St. Anthony’s Hospital in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the only child of Caro Frances Clark Groom and Sidney M. Groom, Sr.

Sid moved with his parents to Bristow, Oklahoma in 1930, where he assisted in the family tire business and his great-grandparent’s hardware store. In 1942, he graduated with honors from Bristow High School and attended Oklahoma Military Academy before beginning his service in the U.S. Army in 1943, serving at Camp Roberts, California, Syracuse University, New York and Camp Shelby Mississippi. His Unit, the 69th Infantry Division, was committed to the European Theater (WWII) in November 1944. The Unit engaged in combat from February to May 1945 and aided in the capture of the Remagen Bridge on the Rhine River before converging with the Russian Army on the Elbe River at Torgau, Germany. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal of Honor for his service.

In 1946, Sid returned from Germany and resumed his education at Oklahoma University, studying Physics and re-establishing Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity on campus. In 1948, Sid met the love of his life, Thadda Clare Hutchison, a freshman from Oklahoma City. Thadda and Sid were married at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church on September 4, 1949. Sid had completed his undergraduate studies in Physics and entered Oklahoma University School of Law at that time.

After completing law school, Sid began his career as a landman for Standard Oil Company of California in Ardmore, Oklahoma. A short time later, Sid and Thadda relocated to Washington D. C. where Sid was a lawyer for the Solicitor’s office with the U.S. Department of the Interior. In 1954, Sid became the first lawyer and director of the new Bureau of Land Management-Outer Continental Shelf leasing office in New Orleans, LA. It was there that Sid met George H. W. Bush, a young entrepreneur in the oil business. Two years later, Sid was offered a corporate job as a lawyer for Magnolia Petroleum Company (later Mobil Oil Corporation) , and he returned with his young family to his “home” state of Oklahoma.

Sid’s career with Mobil Oil spanned 17 years and during that time he assisted in oral argument before the U. S. Supreme Court over mineral rights to the Arkansas Riverbed. In 1961, Sid and Thadda moved their young family (3 daughters and one son) to Edmond, Oklahoma. After 17 years, Sid left Mobil and entered private practice, opening a small law office in downtown Edmond. While practicing law, Sid became an adjunct professor of Business Law at U.C.O. (then Central State University) and continued teaching for 17 years. He retired from the practice of law at age 80.

During all these years, the family grew to include spouses, seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Sid and Thadda traveled the world, it was their passion and they visited every continent and nearly every country in Europe, as well as most of the United States. In 2007, they traveled around the world on the Queen Mary 2, re-visiting many destinations and exploring a few new ones, in all, more than 72 trips all over the world.

Sid and Thadda have been active members of the First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Edmond since 1961. With a deep commitment to community service and Christ, Sid was active in many benevolent outreach efforts and civic endeavors his entire life. He is survived by Thadda, his wife of 65 years, and their children Cynthia Kyle Groom Vogler-Henry of Edmond, OK; Susan and Robert O’Neal of Dallas, TX; Terra and James Conlin of Edmond, Oklahoma; and Marshall Thad Groom of Edmond, OK; in addition to seven grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

A Celebration of Sid’s life will be held on Friday, February 27, 2015, 1:00 p.m. at the First Christian Church of Edmond, following with a graveside service at Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Oklahoma Medical Research Fund (OMRF) 825 N.E. 13th St., Oklahoma City, OK 73104.

6 thoughts on “Sidney M. Groom Jr.”

  1. One of the most Wonderful man to have been acquainted . A gentleman in all aspects of his life. Generous of spirit. We were blessed to share his life.

  2. Lindell Shoemake

    Sid and Thada were our neighbors for many years when they lived in Walnut Ridge. What a special person, and an even better neighbor. How many times did I hear him calling for one of his dogs; MAGGIE or SAMANTHA. Loud enough where I am sure everyone in the neighborhood always stopped what they were doing and started looking for Maggie or Sam. I always missed that after they moved. Great guy!

  3. It wouldn’t be possible to overstate the positive influence that Sid Groom had on my life as a teenager and young man. I was just a neighbor kid and son of a friend, and Sid did for me what he did for many of the other Fisher Hills kids, keeping a whole string of us mowing his lawn, working as the janitors at his office building, and so forth. What I remember most about Sid, though, is how he balanced work and recreation so perfectly in his own life and how joyful he always was in both arenas. I never knew a better man to seek out when you needed a laugh or a reason to feel good about life, and I am confident that he is regaling St. Peter as I write this, using the same voice and the same laugh that he deployed both indoors and out. Rest in peace, friend. We’ll remember you always, and fondly.

  4. Sid was such a wonderful person and a great friend and counsel for my Father. I will always remember that wonderful friendly smile followed by a big firm handshake and infectious laugh. Thoughts of tromping though the then open lands around Edmond trying to stir up some quail but more just the experience of good times with good people will be remembered. To a life well lived, we can all aspire to do as well. Thank you Sid and my prayers are with your family.

  5. Jan & Barrie Brown

    In 2010, we had the pleasure of meeting Sid and his beautiful wife Thadda on a river cruise in France. Sid was a delightful storyteller and told us about his WWII “adventures.”
    His primary focus on this particular trip was to visit the American Cemetery in Normandy, where he had also come ashore within 2 weeks after D-Day. (I collected beach sand after a hike down the hill from the cemetery to give him as a memento of his service to our nation as well as other nations who were occupied by the Nazis during WWII. He told me he deeply appreciated the gift and also stated – with a twinkle in his eye – that he had forgotten to grab some the first time around.)
    In Rouen, France, while taking in the sights of St. Joan of Arc, Sid sprinted by us to catch up with the tour guide at a speed not very often seen in an 85-year-old!
    We were constantly in awe of the his vitality and sense of humor.
    We are saddened to hear of his passing and send our thoughts and prayers to his gracious and beautiful wife Thadda, as well as his entire family.
    Jan & Barrie Brown
    Palm City, Florida

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top