1999-05-11
Collection: 1999
Title
1999-05-11
Subject
Gruver, May Belle
Description
Obituaries published in the Augusta Daily Gazette
Creator
Augusta Daily Gazette [Kansas]
Publisher
Augusta Public Library, Augusta, Kansas, USA
Date
1999-05-12
Format
Clippings
Language
English
Type
application/pdf
Identifier
b6#13A
Citation
Augusta Daily Gazette [Kansas], “1999-05-11,” Digital Augusta, accessed November 25, 2024, https://augusta.digitalsckls.info/item/1096.
Text
Retired educator May Gruver dies
at 92 in Colorado
A beloved Augusta teacher, May Belle Gruver, died Tues- day, May 11, 1999, in Colorado, Springs,Colo, at the age of 91.
Her funeral service will be , 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 15, at the First United Methodist Church, 2420 Ohio. Rev, Vern Bowers will officiate and burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery.
There will be a visitation from 6 to 8 p.m. tomorrow evening at the Dunsford Funeral Home here.
Gruver was loved and
respected by many in this com-
munity whether you were her student or a professional peer.
She was born Aug,26, 1907 in Indian Territory of Oklahoma near what is now Tulsa. She was the daughter of Minerva Priscilla Goble and Jesse Rinard
Gruver.
Her father was an oil company worker and May told friends she spent her early life in a temporary housing with a wooden floor and a tent top.
The family moved to Augusta in 1916 and operated a farm north of the city. That farm residence is in the 1100 block of Dearborn.
May graduated from Augusta High School in 1925 and followed that with a bachelor’s degree in education from Northwestern University in Chicago,
and a master’s degree from Columbia University in New York.
She and two other young women took a European vacation in 1930.
May’s first teaching assignment was at Browntown, south of Augusta.
She was the principal of Augusta’s Intermediate School (situated on ground west of present-day Garfield School).
She taught history and government to many in this area.
Former student Dick Ham-
mond recalls that May would allow the city kids and farm kic to debate the values of living i each environment.
“I kinda of think she knew the good life was on the farm said Hammond of rural Augu
ta.
May served on the August Board of Education and taught primarily at the old high school in the 1000 block of. State ST spent two years at the new high school on Ohio Street before retiring.
GRUVER
Continued from Page 1
She was cited as a Master Teacher by the Augusta school system as well as the state. She was yearbook sponsor and also served on the local library board for more than 30 years.
May was the focal point of a special reception of her 85th birthday.
Friend Faye Teegarden penned the following lyrics for a rap song sung during that reception.
“Let me tell you about a gal, A lady named May Because she was really something special.
And I'm here to say
She was a lady of distinction.
And that ain't no hay!
Now; / asked all around,
About this gal we all know,
As the Number One teacher . So let the praises flow.
She was Augusta's Master Teacher,
And that's not all.
They added her name To the State Master Hall
She knew a lot of words And she knew how to use them,
She told us to “Stay in school,
Instead of goin' cruisin.' " So we all hit the books And we have her to thank We all have a job And some money in the bank!
She loved a good time And her favorites are reuni-ons.
She remembered every kid Even all the somewhat rude ones.
Now, we loved her a lot,.As you can plainly see.
Here's to our May Gruver.
A Great LA-DY!"
Several years ago, the high school established the May Gruver scholarship for graduating seniors.
May had relocated to Col-orado a few years ago to be closerto her family.
Survivors include nieces and nephews: Craig Miller of Colorado Springs, Colo., Mark Gruver, Henry Gruver, Susan Miller of Salina, Nancy Sebe-lius of Norton, Gretchen Gruver of Denver, Colo., Gail Gruver j and Molly Bishop of Dallas, Texas, Steve - Gruver of Lafayette, La., Gary Gruver of Boise,Idaho, Laurel Petersof Houston, Texas, Eric, Jeffand Jane Schwartzkop, all of Salina. Sisters-in-law, Alice Gruver and Hazel Gruver, both of Dallas,and Francine Gruver of Kansas City, Kan.
Memorials to the May Gruver Scholarship Fund or the Augusta Public Library have been suggested.
Original Format
Newspaper clipping
Title
1999-05-11
Subject
Gruver, May Belle
Description
Obituaries published in the Augusta Daily Gazette
Creator
Augusta Daily Gazette [Kansas]
Publisher
Augusta Public Library, Augusta, Kansas, USA
Date
1999-05-12
Format
Clippings
Language
English
Type
application/pdf
Identifier
b6#13A
Citation
Augusta Daily Gazette [Kansas], “1999-05-11,” Digital Augusta, accessed November 25, 2024, https://augusta.digitalsckls.info/item/1096.Text
Retired educator May Gruver dies
at 92 in Colorado
A beloved Augusta teacher, May Belle Gruver, died Tues- day, May 11, 1999, in Colorado, Springs,Colo, at the age of 91.
Her funeral service will be , 1:30 p.m. Saturday, May 15, at the First United Methodist Church, 2420 Ohio. Rev, Vern Bowers will officiate and burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery.
There will be a visitation from 6 to 8 p.m. tomorrow evening at the Dunsford Funeral Home here.
Gruver was loved and
respected by many in this com-
munity whether you were her student or a professional peer.
She was born Aug,26, 1907 in Indian Territory of Oklahoma near what is now Tulsa. She was the daughter of Minerva Priscilla Goble and Jesse Rinard
Gruver.
Her father was an oil company worker and May told friends she spent her early life in a temporary housing with a wooden floor and a tent top.
The family moved to Augusta in 1916 and operated a farm north of the city. That farm residence is in the 1100 block of Dearborn.
May graduated from Augusta High School in 1925 and followed that with a bachelor’s degree in education from Northwestern University in Chicago,
and a master’s degree from Columbia University in New York.
She and two other young women took a European vacation in 1930.
May’s first teaching assignment was at Browntown, south of Augusta.
She was the principal of Augusta’s Intermediate School (situated on ground west of present-day Garfield School).
She taught history and government to many in this area.
Former student Dick Ham-
mond recalls that May would allow the city kids and farm kic to debate the values of living i each environment.
“I kinda of think she knew the good life was on the farm said Hammond of rural Augu
ta.
May served on the August Board of Education and taught primarily at the old high school in the 1000 block of. State ST spent two years at the new high school on Ohio Street before retiring.
GRUVER
Continued from Page 1
She was cited as a Master Teacher by the Augusta school system as well as the state. She was yearbook sponsor and also served on the local library board for more than 30 years.
May was the focal point of a special reception of her 85th birthday.
Friend Faye Teegarden penned the following lyrics for a rap song sung during that reception.
“Let me tell you about a gal, A lady named May Because she was really something special.
And I'm here to say
She was a lady of distinction.
And that ain't no hay!
Now; / asked all around,
About this gal we all know,
As the Number One teacher . So let the praises flow.
She was Augusta's Master Teacher,
And that's not all.
They added her name To the State Master Hall
She knew a lot of words And she knew how to use them,
She told us to “Stay in school,
Instead of goin' cruisin.' " So we all hit the books And we have her to thank We all have a job And some money in the bank!
She loved a good time And her favorites are reuni-ons.
She remembered every kid Even all the somewhat rude ones.
Now, we loved her a lot,.As you can plainly see.
Here's to our May Gruver.
A Great LA-DY!"
Several years ago, the high school established the May Gruver scholarship for graduating seniors.
May had relocated to Col-orado a few years ago to be closerto her family.
Survivors include nieces and nephews: Craig Miller of Colorado Springs, Colo., Mark Gruver, Henry Gruver, Susan Miller of Salina, Nancy Sebe-lius of Norton, Gretchen Gruver of Denver, Colo., Gail Gruver j and Molly Bishop of Dallas, Texas, Steve - Gruver of Lafayette, La., Gary Gruver of Boise,Idaho, Laurel Petersof Houston, Texas, Eric, Jeffand Jane Schwartzkop, all of Salina. Sisters-in-law, Alice Gruver and Hazel Gruver, both of Dallas,and Francine Gruver of Kansas City, Kan.
Memorials to the May Gruver Scholarship Fund or the Augusta Public Library have been suggested.
Original Format
Newspaper clipping