John Irvin GROOM
Obituary

KSMA co-owner John Groom dies

SANTA MARIA - John I. Groom, 51, co-owner of radio station KSMA, died here Sunday after a brief illness. Funeral will be Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary with cremation to follow. The service will be conducted by Dr. Charles N.- Gibbs, pastor of First Christian Church, and Vernon Edwards of Hesperian Lodge No. 264, F.&.A.M. Visitation may be made at the Groom home at 104 South Ranch, Santa Maria, on Monday and Tuesday from 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. and from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. Pallbearers will be Joe Hagerman, Jack O'Keefe, James O'Keefe, Norbert Frickelton, Burton Parsons, Ross Day, Richard Boster and William Smith. Honorary pallbearers will be Henry Neiggemann, Don Stiles, David Jones, Aaron Mer-riman, Thomas Hylarid, Merrell Williams, Lawson Williams, David Williams, William Loeper, Dean Cull, Gilbert Boucher, William Hanson, Armand Acosta, Cash Sapa, Robert Cooper, Arthur Silva and Lester Henry. Surviving are his wife, Mrs. Nona Mae Groom of Santa Maria; son John I. Groom, Santa Maria; daughter Mrs. Luther Earnhart Jr. of Smyrna, Georgia; brother Franklin E. Groom of Canoga Park; sister Mrs. Walter Raymond of Seat tle, Washington, and two granddaughters, Milisa and Pamela Earnhart. Mr. Groom was born in Kansas City, Mo. He had been a resident of Santa Maria since 1948, when he came here to assume management of radio station KRJM, which later became part of KSMA. He has been co-owner of KSMA with Joe Hagerman since 1951. Mr. Groom served in the U.S. Navy from 1942 to 1945, leaving the service as an aviation machinists mate, first class. He was a 1948 graduate of Don Martin School of Radio and Television Arts, and is a former member of the board of directors of Southern California Broadcasters Assn. Mr. Groom was a member of Hesperian Lodge No. 264, F. Si A.M., and was a 25-year member of Santa Maria Elks Lodge No. 1535. He was also a member of Santa Maria Press Club. Mr. Groom was a member of the board of directors of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties Arthritis Foundation and was chairman of the north counties fund drive. Friends wishing to do so may make contributions to the Arthritis Foundation, Santa Barbara County Branch, or to American Cancer Society.


Santa Maria Times
Santa Maria, California
March 29, 1976

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