Obituary: Kathryn Laura (Mann) Groves
Kathryn Laura (Mann) Groves (May 27, 1946 – May 4, 2026)
Kathryn Laura (Mann) Groves, 79, passed away on 4 May 2026 in Lakeland, Florida. Born on 27 May 1946, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Kathy grew up in Manchester as the only daughter of Dorothy (Steeb) Mann and Willard Mann along with three brothers.
She is survived by her two daughters: Nancy Groves of Nairobi, Kenya, and Robin (Groves) Kellbach of North Liberty, Iowa, and a son-in-law, Jeff Kellbach. Some of Kathy’s happiest moments were with her grandchildren, Gus, Isabella, and Evelyn. She remained very close to her extended family, including Mary Knapp and her niece Michelle O’Rourke’s family in Florida.
After graduating from Manchester High School, Kathy attended Central Michigan University, where she formed lifelong friendships with Jan De Cort and Pat Pear, before continuing her education at Eastern Michigan University.
She earned her master's degree in education and began her teaching career in Manchester.
Kathy married Richard Groves in 1966 and they moved to Iowa in 1977. Kathy's teaching career continued in Waterloo, Iowa, where she specialized in early elementary grades and reading instruction.
Upon moving to Florida full-time in 2004, she continued teaching during her retirement years. She was an active and valued member of her community, CountryWood in Plant City, where she served on the board, edited the newsletter, participated in the Sunshine committee, and playing cards was a regular activity. Kathy was also a committed volunteer with Meals on Wheels in Plant City and was a regular dog sitter for family and friends throughout her years in Florida. She also was an avid reader of novels and writer of letters to the editor published in Tampa newspapers.
Kathy was active in several churches, beginning at Emmanuel United Church of Christ in Manchester, where she was baptized and confirmed, and later at St. John's Lutheran in Cedar Falls, Iowa, where she served on various boards and had fond memories of watching her daughters participate in the bell choir and perform piano duets.
Some of Kathy’s favorite times included family trips to Clearwater and Siesta Key in Florida, attending the Manchester Chicken Broil, the annual Mann family reunion, and extended visits with her grandchildren in Iowa and New York City. She enjoyed several cruises and trips with friends, including to Hawaii and Alaska, and, in recent years, made three memorable trips to Kenya, where she especially loved visiting the Sheldrick Elephant Nursery and the Giraffe Centre.
Kathy was preceded in death by her parents and her two brothers, James "Jim" Willard Mann and William Mann.
The family will celebrate her life in Michigan in July. Details will be announced at a later date.
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