John Henry Groen Jr.

John Henry Groen, Jr , 48, of Helena, Montana , formerly of Chandler, MN died Monday, October 12, 2015 in Helena. Visitation will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, October 23, 2015 at the Chandler Reformed Church in Chandler, MN.  Services will be held at 11:00 AM at the church.  Interment will be at the Chandler Memorial Cemetery following the service.

John Henry Groen, Jr. was born March 19, 1967 in Pipestone County Hospital to John H. and Joanne (Bothof) Groen.  He was raised on a farm five miles south of Chandler.  John attended the Chandler Christian Elementary School and graduated from Chandler-Lake Wilson High School.  After high school, John attended Hutchinson Technology and Willmar Technical Schools with a degree in Dairy Heard Management.   On August 2, 1991, John married Gay Lynn Lewis at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Lake Wilson, MN.

After graduation John farmed with his parents, worked for a short time at Schwans, then farmed again with his parents.   In October, 2004 he moved to Helena, MT where he had a small farm to grow vegetables which he sold at the local farmers market, and raised goats.

John loved to talk and was willing to befriend anyone he met.  He was very handy, a good person to have around if you needed something fixed or something electronic set up.

On Monday, October 12, 2015, John passed away at St. Peter's Hospital in Helena.  He is survived by his daughters, Clarissa Groen, Slayton, MN; Chelsey, Cassandra and Chantel Groen of Chandler, MN; his father, John Henry Groen and stepmother, Marcella Groen of Chandler; sisters, Jolene Groen, Chandler and Julie (Jim) Sherman of Hibbing, MN; Jason Groen and Kyle Bronson of Laveen, AZ;  three nephews,  Lincoln Sherman,  Hibbing; Dylan and Kaiden Bronson-Groen, Laveen;  one niece; Madison Sherman, Hibbing; and grandfather, John Bothof,  Fulda, MN.

He is preceded in death by his mother, Joanne Groen; grandparents, Henry and Mary Groen, and Johanna Bothof.