Michael Thomas Grover, 38, loving husband and father of three daughters, passed away on January 10, 2021 at home with his family beside him in Cary, IL after living his life to the fullest for 13-years with glioblastoma.
Michael, better known as Mike or Grover, spent his childhood in Shoreview Minneapolis with his parents, Tom and Donnelle, and his sister Carolyn. Throughout his youth he developed a love for Minnesota sports teams and excelled academically. After graduating from Mounds View High School in 2001, Mike attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he studied Structural Engineering and was an active member of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, where he was beloved for his distinctively Groverian sense of humor and for surprisingly soft and cheerfully given bro hugs. He spent his career as a structural designer for several prominent architecture firms in Chicago and earned his master’s degree from Illinois Institute of Technology in 2012.
A romantic at heart, Mike found his true soulmate and eternal advocate in his wife, Lea. While a Lutheran, carnivorous engineer and a Jewish, vegetarian writer may sound more like the start of a joke than a love story, their mutual passion for social justice, quirky humor, and all things Harry Potter were the foundation for a rock solid marriage that became an illustration of true love for all who knew them. Their family grew in time, welcoming twin girls Deborah and Sophia in 2009, and later Rivka in 2012.
Being a parent came naturally to Mike who loved every minute of his time with his girls and selflessly gave of himself to provide for them. Mike’s wit easily lent itself to the purveyance of dad jokes, and his 6’4” stature provided growing girls with the perfect playground for climbing.
Michael Grover was, and is, beloved by many people, and each can give you a different reason. Some were taken in by his gentleness and good humor; others by his perseverance and strength; still others would tell you that his charming smile put them at ease or his intellect blew them away. What those who knew him can agree on is that his presence in their lives, whether daily, monthly, or less frequently met, will be dearly missed.
Mike is survived by his wife, Lea Grover; daughters, Deborah, Sophia, and Rivka Grover; parents Tom and Donnelle Grover; sister Carolyn (Dan) Adamson; nieces Isabelle and Madelyn Adamson; sister in-law Miriam (Daniel) Mora; and nephew Judah Mora .
A memorial service will be held Saturday, January 16th at 4:30pm, and will be broadcast via Zoom from the family’s lawn in Cary. The service will be followed by the Mourner’s Kaddish at 5:30pm. The family will also be sitting shiva daily via zoom from 2-6pm [CST] Tuesday, January 12-Monday January 19, with Sunday the 18th reserved for family only (Zoom Meeting ID: 287 919 8593, Passcode: Grover). Detailed instructions are listed below.
Those wishing to make donations in Mike’s memory should consider the Endurance Scholarship (https://endurancescholarship.wixsite.com/scholarship), or Planned Parenthood (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/get-involved/other-ways-give).
A Go Fund Me operation has been set up to help defray the medical, hospice, funeral, and aftercare costs to the Grover Family, for those who wish to contribute in that fashion:
Virtual/Hybrid Shiva for Michael Grover
Open Shiva hours will be from 2pm [CST] to 6pm [CST] on Zoom every day starting Tuesday, January 12 through Monday, January 18th. These are hours during which anyone may drop in to visit (virtually) with the family, pay their respects, and share their thoughts and memories of Mike with those who love him. Lea, the children (Deborah, Sophia, and Rivka), Mike’s parents (Tom and Donelle) and Lea’s parents (Trina and Nathaniel) will be present in the Grover House in Cary for the duration of the Shiva. Sunday the 17th will be reserved for family only (all extended family on all sides included).
There will be a daily recitation of the Mourner’s Kaddish at 5:30pm [CST], led by Rabbi Tom Samuels. All are welcome to join via Zoom for the Kaddish. Those who are local to the Grovers in Cary are invited to attend a socially distanced brief Kaddish/prayer service on the lawn (Rabbi Tom will here in person or via zoom each day). There will be patio heaters available, and ample space for distancing.
IN-PERSON MINYAN MUST BE SIGNED UP FOR AND LIMITED TO TEN PEOPLE FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL MOURNERS!
You may sign up for minyan here: https://tinyurl.com/y5jg2vn4
Saturday the 16th is likely to be a Lutheran Fellowship and memorial/funeral. Though everyone is welcome on any open day of shiva, regardless of their faith or background, this day will be honoring and observing the family’s non-Jewish traditions and practices. There will be a Lutheran service led by Rev. Sarah E. Wilson (of Saint Barnabas Lutheran Church) on Saturday, January 16th at 4:30pm, broadcast via Zoom from the family’s lawn in Cary, followed by the Mourner’s Kaddish at 5:30pm.
The family has a meal train set up, for those who would like to make food contributions: [https://www.carecalendar.org/logon/284115] and enter the following information in the appropriate spaces:
Calendar ID : 284115 Security code : 9928
Those wishing to make donations in Mike’s memory should consider the Endurance Scholarship (https://endurancescholarship.wixsite.com/scholarship), or Planned Parenthood (https://www.plannedparenthood.org/get-involved/other-ways-give)
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