John Robert Groos, Jr. of Kyle, Texas passed away on Sunday, March 25, 2018, at the age of 83. The youngest of three children, John was born in New Braunfels, Texas to John Robert Groos, Sr. and Margaret Elizabeth (Thiele) Groos on Sept. 12, 1934, and grew up in Kyle.
His ancestors came from Germany to Texas in 1845, one of whom surveyed the town of Kyle for the Great Northern Railroad. His grandfather owned the first meat market in Kyle, and his father started one of the first tire patch manufacturing companies in the country.
John was voted Mr. Kyle High School of the senior class of 1953. He married Lora Jean Maddux in 1954, and both attended classes at Southwest Texas State University and the University of Texas. John then served in the US Army Signal Corps which took him overseas to Stuttgart, Germany and Beirut, Lebanon. After his return, he worked in the auto supply business alongside his father, finally taking over in 1972. He was a member of the Kyle United Methodist Church, a member of the Kyle Fire Department, served on the City Council, was a member of the Kyle Lions Club, and an avid hunter.
His parents and his wife preceded him in death.
He is survived by his son and namesake, John Robert Groos, III, daughter-in-law Janelle Renea Vick Groos and two grandsons, John Robert Groos, IV and Justin Reynold Groos, all of Innsbruck, Austria.
Family will receive friends at Pennington Funeral Home at 6:00 P.M., followed by a Celebration of John’s life at 7:00 P.M., on Thursday, March 29, 2018. Private burial will be in the Kyle Cemetery.
Arrangements by Pennington Funeral Home, 323 North Comanche Street, San Marcos, Texas 78666, 512-353-431. www.penningtonfuneralhome.com
