Betty Stoll Groth

Betty Stoll Groth, a true Palm Beach Matriarch was born on August 23, 1927. She was 96 years old the morning she was carried up to heaven, July 1, 2024. Betty was predeceased by her husband of 73 years, John Thomas Groth. She is survived by her 11 children: Betty Dortch, Susan Nielsen, Peggy Rafferty (Michael), Ginger Carlisle (Allen), Janet Geary (Frank), Winnie Azqueta (Jesse), Kathy Bronstien (Jimmy), John Groth Jr. (Sue), Nancy Tucker (Alan), Mary Jacobs (Scott) and Michael Groth (Gretchen), along with 29 grandchildren, and 20 great grandchildren.

Betty was the oldest child of John Otto and Margaret Crowe Stoll. Her father, a newspaper/magazine magnate in Chicago during the 1920’s, started the JO Stoll Company, located a few blocks from Navy Pier. Betty was the last surviving child of the Stoll Family dynasty. She was predeceased by her three brothers and sister Margo Stoll Crawford. Betty was raised on Bellevue Place, near Lake Shore Drive. She attended Sacred Heart School, on Sheridan Road, then attended Manhattanville College in New York City. Otto also owned a farm on Willow Road in Northbrook, Illinois, (just in case the country went to war). That is where Betty developed her love of horses, riding, and all newborn farm animals.

While in High School, Betty was introduced to legendary Latin School football and basketball star, John Groth. Later, while in the service, Johnny played baseball for the Navy. The pair were married in 1949, in Chicago, at St. Patrick’s Church. The reception followed at the Glenview Country Club. Johnny’s career later took him to play for the MLB Detroit Tigers, Chicago White Sox, and other teams.

One frigid Chicago winter, with seven children at home, Betty and her mother, Margaret, were visiting the Breaker’s Hotel when she decided to make Palm Beach her new home. She purchased the house at 177 Queens Lane in 1961, where the family grew to 11 blessed children: nine girls and two boys!

Betty’s Catholic faith was a driving force in her life. In 1965, she became one of the founding members of the St. Edward Ladies Guild. She continued as a Life Guild member, along with many of her dear Friends in Faith. Betty was a daily communicant and prayed the rosary daily at St. Edward. The children were all required (as well as their sleepover friends) to attend mass on Sundays. Nine of John and Betty’s children were married at St. Edward.

The home on Queens Lane had an open-door policy. It was a beloved hangout for most of the neighborhood children. For 45 years, the house was a favorite spot for skateboarding, riding, surfing or just hanging out in the big back yard. Many of the bikes in the neighborhood could usually be found in the driveway. Goats, cows, chickens, bunnies, and other “Fair” animals also found a home in the yard on Queens Lane! The ocean was one of Betty’s passions. She spent endless hours teaching her children and others how to snorkel under the reef on Queens Lane, catching tropical fish off the jetty, and walking daily on the beach, to Reef Road and back, with her fearless black lab Zorro. Halloween on Queens Lane was the place to be. It was a tradition for Betty to serve gallons of apple cider to children and parents as well, outfitted in her witchy attire.

In 1961, Betty and John became Sailfish Club members, where all the children learned to swim, sail and fish, always looking forward to Wednesday Family Nights. In later years, Betty loved having dinner there on Friday nights with her husband and sister.

She could also be found carpooling children, hers, and others, between Rosarian Academy, St. Ann’s School, or Cardinal Newman. Whether she was acting as room mother, volunteering, or making sandwiches at St. Anne’s, Betty never complained. She always had a kind word for everyone. Everyone loved Betty! Once all the children were grown, Betty began volunteer work at St. Mary’s Hospital. She served as President of the Auxiliary Board, then worked in the nursery and surgical waiting room. With the onset of grandchildren, Queens Lane again became home for Sunday night dinners. Christmas found the fireplace decked out with 63 stockings. Each stocking held something personal from “Santa.” Betty was also a worldwide traveler. She had a passion for history and travel. She could often be found studying her travel itinerary with stacks of travel books and maps at her side. Several of her children were fortunate enough to have travelled with their mother on different excursions. First on world class trips planned by Betty, and later worldwide cruises. The trips had to include at least three churches, began with mass daily and often ended close to a beach town.

After the three hurricanes of 2015, Betty and John decided to sell the family home on Queens Lane. They moved to Ocean Towers, where they could still be close to her beloved St. Edward and the beach. John and Betty celebrated their 73rd year of marriage on the beach of Ocean Towers. John passed away at home on August 7, 2021.

The family is immensely grateful for her special, loving caretakers, Maggie, Nicole, Vickie and Legia. Betty was often heard chanting a favorite rhyme “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, all good children go to heaven. When they get there, they will say ‘Thank you Lord for showing us the way’”.

There will be a viewing at Quattlebaums on Okeechobee Blvd. from 3-5 p.m. on Sunday July 21, 2024. A funeral mass will be held for Betty on Monday July 22, 2024, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Edward Church in Palm Beach, Fl.