April 18, 1928 – March 21, 2012

NATCHEZ — Services for Catherine Colleen Edwards Groves, 83, of Natchez, who died Wednesday, March 21, 2012, at Glenburney Nursing Home, will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Lovely Lane United Methodist Church with the Rev. Len McRainey officiating.

Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Cemetery under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. today and from noon until service time Saturday, both at the church.

Mrs. Groves was born April 18, 1928, in Wesson, the daughter of Willie Edwards and Annie Pearl Ashley Edwards. She grew up on a farm with 11 brothers and sisters and learned at an early age the value of hard work and perseverance. She moved to Natchez and started working for Armstrong Tire and Rubber Company where she met her future husband.

Mrs. Groves was a charter member of Lovely Lane United Methodist Church. She served as a Sunday school teacher, a Girl Scout leader and a volunteer at Frazier Elementary School. She loved to watch her grandchildren and great-grandchildren participate in sporting activities. She never missed a game and could often be seen sporting a shirt supporting her babies.

Colleen was known for her amazing cooking and for her love of sewing.

She was preceded in death by her parents; one daughter, Willa Groves Reed; one granddaughter, DeAnn Lee; three brothers, Tommy, Son and Paul Edwards; and four sisters, Zee Weadock, Alice Brashier, Marty Lackey and Elsie Gillespie.

Survivors include her husband of 60 years, Robert “Buck” Groves; two daughters, Robbie Lanehart and husband, Al, and Deede Schrock and husband, Mark, all of Natchez; four sisters, Margie Britt, Lynn Stewart, both of Natchez, Edna Burke of Rochester, N.Y., and Joy Fleming of Summit; five grandchildren, Stacy Blough of Little Rock, Ark., Jaclyn Pope and husband, Todd, of Meridian, Heather Schrock, Taylor Reed, both of Natchez and Kassy Reed of Jackson; eight great-grandchildren, Jackson and Cooper Blough of Little Rock, Cooper, Chapman, Conner and Cannon Pope of Meridian, Layten Chapman of Natchez and Jacob Little of Jackson; a special niece, Phyllis Toney; and a number of other nieces and nephews.

Pallbearers will be Larry Lawrence, Brent Weadock, Stewart Williams, Ken Britt, Sonny Daniels and Tony Kirsch.

Honorary pallbearers will be Bruce Schrock, Jim Blough and her nephews.

Memorials may be made to Lovely Lane United Methodist Church.

Online condolences may be sent to www.lairdfh.com.