Our father was raised on a ranch in Perry Oklahoma and was part of a family with 12 children.
So, when he would sit at the dinner table, he would remark “Is this all of us”? And then my folks would have another baby. In 1962, when he asked that question, there was indeed another addition. Our baby brother came home from the hospital without a name. Now days that would not have been allowed. After a few days they decided on Edward Franklin Groom. My dad’s mother’s name was Ethel Florence Greening Groom. It was fitting that Eddie would have her initials.
Perry, Oklahoma is famous for it’s wrestlers. All the Groom boys wrestled in high school and some in college. I don’t know if Eddie wrestled in school or not, but he sure could escape from a diaper change, twist away and make it across the bed before you could catch him.
I was twelve when he was born, he was the baby of five children. He actually had three mothers. Lynne, myself, and our real mother, Dorothy. When that many people are watching the little one, sometimes you think the other person is watching him, and you go off to do something else. On one such occasion, after discovering that no one had seen him for a while, the search was on. We canvassed the neighborhood, checking in backyards, the park, etc. Finally, the police were called, and Eddie was found on the construction site of the Broken Arrow Expressway, poking a long stick in the open storm drain.
Our father was a dentist, so hard candy was not allowed. Even though I was too old to Trick or Treat, someone had to take Eddie around. So, we did and ate all the hard candy before we got home, because we knew that our dad would throw it away.
I would take Eddie to the Nathan Hale football games. He was the official Ranger mascot, dressed up in a little Ranger costume. I would put him down in front with the cheerleaders. He was five, so he would pick up rocks and throw them, pick up cigarette buts and taste them. He was the cutest thing.
Eddie always had the deepest voice, especially for a little kid, and the darkest brown eyes.
Eddie was five and a half when I got married, and Stan, the oldest, was already away at college. Lynne was close behind. So, Eddie and Richard were the only ones at home.
Eddie got all our mother’s attention. They worked on science projects, piano lessons, arts and crafts, went to the lake, and so on.
Eddie had a brilliant mind, and a kind soul. He will be greatly missed.
Love,
Teresa A. Groom Leavitt
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A memorial service for Edward will be held Saturday, August 26, 2023 at 11:00 AM at Hilldale Baptist Church, 21085 S Keetonville Rd, Claremore, OK 74019. Following the memorial service will be a celebration of life at 4:00 PM at Deco Lounge, 607 S Boston Ave, Tulsa, OK 74119.
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