Hester Peyton Groves, daughter of the late Rev. Thomas L. Proctor and late Nannie Peyton Proctor, was born February 8, 1928, in Front Royal, VA. She entered into her eternal rest on Thursday, October 6, 2016 at Warren Memorial Hospital, Front Royal, VA.
Hester, as she was fondly known, attended Manassas Regional High School and was a graduate of the Class of 1946 in Manassas, VA., later attending Virginia State University, in Petersburg, VA. She was hired as a kindergarten teacher at A.S. Rhodes Elementary School for the Warren/Rappahannock Counties School System.
Hester was a member of Macedonia Baptist Church in Flint Hill, VA, under the pastoral leadership of her father, the late Thomas L. Proctor. Later she moved her membership to Mt. Vernon Baptist Church in Front Royal, VA. In December 1965, she started playing the piano for the Junior Choir, Senior Choir, Men’s Chorus and founded a young adult choir in 1982 called the Royal Majestics. Shortly thereafter, she started her 20-year career with the Universal Life Insurance Company. Her later years were spent working at K-Mart Department store as a Customer Service Supervisor where she retired after 20 years. During her years of faithful service, Hester received many awards and outstanding ratings for her superb job performance and work ethics in the community and surrounding churches.
She was a volunteer for the following: Electoral Board, 25 years of service with the Front Royal Volunteer Fire Department; every month she assisted and served local residents at Tuesday’s Table; Bingo volunteer; House of Hope, Hester’s (free) Taxi Services transporting all ages and genders to appointments, church, hospitals; piano lessons; and countless hours of charity work. She was another “Mother Teresa” without knowing it.
Hester was preceded in death by her husband, John T. Groves, Sr. of Front Royal, VA, her son John (Tommy) Groves, Jr., of Front Royal, VA, and her son L. Anthony Groves, of Miami Beach, FL. She leaves three daughters, Teresa (Johnny) Dubose, Elizabeth City, NC, Regina (Douglas) Evans, Stephens City, VA, Monica A. Christian, Front Royal, VA. Four grand- children, Michael Thompson, Jr., Bridget & Arlene Woodson and Santana Christian, 7 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great-grandchildren, and a host of in-laws, nieces, nephews and friends.
Family will receive friends on Thursday, October 13, 2016, from 7 – 9 p.m. at Maddox Funeral Home, 105 West Main St., Front Royal, VA. Funeral services are at 10 a.m. on Friday, October 14, 2016 at Mt. Vernon Baptist Church, 240 Church Street, Front Royal, VA 22630.
Interment will be in Culpeper National Cemetery, Culpeper, VA on Friday after the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions, in Hester Groves’ name, may be made to the Front Royal Fire Department.