Marie Carr Groseclose, age 98, passed away on May 5, 2019 at Carrington Place in Wytheville with family at her side.  She was born Hattie Marie Carr in her beloved Bland County, Virginia on January 31, 1921 to John Edward Carr and Etta Florence Lampert Carr.  She graduated from Bland High School in 1938 and earned a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education from Radford University.  She began her teaching career for Bland County Public Schools in 1940 at Oak Dale, a one room school located at Walkers Creeks.  She taught there for three memorable years until she was transferred to Bland school where she taught seventh grade for 35 years before retiring.  Teaching had always been a great joy to her and she deeply appreciated all of the kindness and affection shown to her over the years by former students.

Marie married Henry C. Groseclose in 1947.  She was very proud of his role as the father of the Future Farmers of America and enjoyed carrying on his legacy.  She was a devout member of Bland United Methodist Church since 1938.  Serving the church was a priority for her.  She was a youth leader, Sunday school teacher, treasurer, historian, board member and a longtime member of United Methodist Women.  Marie also was a member of the Chi Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an international organization for key women teachers, Bland Chapter No. 41 of the Eastern Star, Wythe Grey Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Bland County Retired Teachers Association where she was a charter member.

Marie loved Bland County and her many friends.  She will be missed as a valuable resource for Bland County history.  She was blessed with an amazing ability to recall people and events and she was always willing to share her knowledge.  She was a great story teller.  In her retirement years she enjoyed giving presentations depicting historical women.  She also volunteered at the Rock House Museum in Wytheville.  She was a skilled quilter, a devoted Hokie fan and an avid bridge player.  Until late in life she belonged to two bridge groups.

Marie had a half-sister, Nellie Robinette, and half-brothers Samuel Roy Repass, Everette Fulton Repass and James Straley Repass, all deceased.  She was also preceded in death by her husband, Henry C. Groseclose, stepsons Lt. Col. Tom S. Groseclose and Henry C. Groseclose II.  She is survived by four grandchildren, George Groseclose (Elizabeth), Tom S. Groseclose, Jr. (Kathy), Warren Groseclose (Sarah), and Virginia Atkinson, eight great grandchildren and seven great-great grandchildren.

Marie loved her family and her close neighbors, whom she considered as family.   Above all she loved her Lord who supplied her with all her needs.  In lieu of flowers Marie had requested donations to Bland United Methodist Church (75 Church Hill Lane, Jackson Street, Bland, VA 24315) or the Henry C. Groseclose Museum (1886 Stowers Hill Road, Ceres, Virginia 24318).  The family will greet friends at Highland Funeral Home in Bland on Monday, May 13 ^th from 5 to 7 P.M.  A funeral service will be held at the funeral home on Tuesday, May 14 ^th at 11 A.M., followed by interment at Sharon Lutheran Church Cemetery in Ceres, Virginia.  Refreshments will be served at the Ceres Alumni Association gymnasium and the H.C. Groseclose Museum will be open for visitors. Highland Bland Funeral Chapel, Bland, VA is serving the Groseclose family.