ELIZABETH (“BETTY”) ANN PETROSKY GROBE After a brief illness, Betty died peacefully in her home (Westbridge Assisted Living in Wheaton, IL) on September 14, 2018. She was 91 years old, and still young. Born on March 18, 1927 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, to Stephen A. and Julia S. Petrosky, Betty was the eldest of three children.
She attended Latrobe High School, graduated in 1944, and then took a job as an administrative assistant at Vanadium Alloys. It was here that she met her future husband, Arthur H. Grobe. They married in 1951 and lived together in Latrobe before moving to Cleveland, Ohio, in 1955.
She lived in the Cleveland area until 2017, making many friends there and many more wherever she went. An excellent cook and talented homemaker, she was soon kept busy taking care of a houseful of children. She was an artist and an excellent seamstress, and one of her signature skills was an amazing ability to repair or repurpose anything.
Her “MacGyvering” was masterful. She enjoyed entertaining, crocheting, bridge, boating on Lake Erie, and the memorable family vacation each year to a lakeside cabin near Traverse City, MI. Though small in stature, Betty was big in every other way.
With her infectious laugh and boundless energy, she made her presence felt the instant she entered any room. Always positive, she had a way of bringing a smile to anyone’s face and happiness into everyone’s lives. Those who love her have fond memories of seeing her sit cross-legged on the floor, either playing with her grandchildren or reading the newspaper while the dog rested his head in her lap.
She was the ultimate hostess, whether preparing a perfect standing rib roast or the biggest Thanksgiving turkey available. Her family still chuckles over the year when the turkey was too big for the oven. She loved and accepted everyone.
Though a devout Catholic herself, Betty supported her children’s varied religious choices, and she loved her extended family with a full and open heart. Betty was preceded in death by her husband Arthur, her son Paul (Marlene), her sister Dorothy Petrosky, and her brother Robert Peterson (Elizabeth). She is survived by four children: Sandra (Dale), Judith (Edward), Thomas (Sharon), and John (Deborah).
She will be greatly missed by her loving family, which includes fifteen grandchildren, twelve great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. A mass is planned in Betty’s honor at St. Michael’s Church in Wheaton on November 3rd at 11am. There will also be a celebration of her life at Westbridge Assisted Living in Wheaton, where stories and memories will be shared at 3pm.
The family asks that, in lieu of flowers, donations in her honor be made to the Cancer Research Institute, National Headquarters, 29 Broadway, Floor 4, New York, NY 10006-3111, or at www. cancerresearch.org/join-the-cause/donate/one-time-donation. To send flowers or a remembrance gift to the family of Elizabeth Grobe , please visit our Tribute Store.
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