Willie Groce

Funeral services for Willie M. Groce, 90, of Caldwell are set for 2:00 p.m., Friday, December 28, 2018 at Strickland Funeral Home in Caldwell with Bro. Steve Johnson officiating. Interment will follow at Masonic Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Thursday, December 27, 2018 also at the funeral home. Mrs. Groce passed away on December 22, 2018 in Caldwell, Texas.

Willie Mae was born on February 16, 1928, in the Cooks Point community of Burleson County, Texas, the daughter of William R. and Lydia Ella (Trcalek) Odstrcil. She grew up in a typical Czech farming family of the time whose elders fluently spoke “the old language”, and Willie Mae was conversational in it. She grew up attending and was confirmed in the Cooks Point Brethren Church and also attended the rural Cooks Point School and later graduated from Caldwell High School.

Willie Mae met William M. “Billy” Groce while working in Caldwell as a telephone operator and fell in love. When he returned from World War II, they made it official. They were joined in holy matrimony on December 12, 1947, in Caldwell. They were blessed with fifty years of marriage (his death). Willie Mae was known as a consummate homemaker who could cook, bake, sew, and grow anything. She became a member of First Baptist Church – Caldwell, and she served her family and the needs of her church family faithfully, especially taking joy in serving snacks to the children during Vacation Bible School. As the family business grew, Willie Mae could be found downtown most days at Groce Home & Auto. She loved to be out and about, visiting with customers and others in town, and supporting her grandchildren and great-grandchildren by attending their activities. She also enjoyed spending time out at the family farm in Cooks Point, checking cows and fishing. Her favorite activity was spending time with her family, and most everyone in town knew she would have a big lunch after church every Sunday for her family, and friends were welcome to join- the more, the merrier! Her hobbies included cooking, baking, gardening, sewing, renovating old furniture, and flower arranging. She loved life and had the most infectious laugh. Willie Mae found joy daily in everything she did.

Willie Mae was preceded in death by her parents; husband; grandson, Scott William Groce; infant great-granddaughter, Layne Adaline Mashek; brother, Sammy Odstrcil; sister, Barbara Rahnert; sisters in law, Mary Andrews and Mildred Colwell.

Survivors include her daughter and son in law, Susan and Joey Skrivanek, of Caldwell; son and daughter in law, Marc and Susan Groce, of Caldwell; granddaughters and their husbands: Sarah and Craig Cadan, of Caldwell, Anne and Chris Mashek, of Belton, and Meredith and Britt Craig, of Bosqueville; great-grandchildren: Kaylan Groce, Dillan Bowden, Briley Craig, Grace Cadan, Bristol Craig, and Wiley Mashek; sister and brother in law, Emma and Frankie Kubin, of Bryan; sister in law, Ina Odstrcil, of Caldwell; brother in law, Rudy Rahnert, of Houston; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Pallbearers will be Jeffery Kubin, Kent Kubin, Paul Rahnert, Cory Odstrcil, Jim Colwell and John Colwell. Honorary Pallbearers will be Craig Caden, Chris Mashek, Britt Craig and Kverin Urbanovsky.

As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church School.

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