Raymond Philip Groh, Jr., Ed.D., died in his sleep May 15, 2017.
He was born at the Evangelical Deaconess Hospital, May 18, 1930, in Buffalo, NY, the son of Raymond P. Groh and Hilda Louise Joerns Groh. He attended the Buffalo Public Schools, and Buffalo State Teachers College, where he completed double majors in Elementary Education and Speech Production and Improvement in January 1952. He was immediately employed as an instructor of English Linguistics at North Japan Collegiate Academy/ Tohoku Gakuin, in Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, for three years. Returning to the United States, he completed a Master of Science – Speech, at the University of Wisconsin. He was the first speech therapist in both the Mount Clemens Community Schools and the Warren Woods Schools. Having completed an Education Specialist program at Wayne State University, he became a Vocational Counsellor for Goodwill Industries of Detroit, and later for the Michigan Department of Education's Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. An opportunity opened with the Michigan Department of Public Health, and he became a Regional Audiology and Speech Consultant for several Michigan Counties. He completed his Doctoral degree at the University of Sarasota in Public Health Administration. He also provided rehabilitation and other services through his first company, Medi-Speech, and later through Groh Enterprises.

On August 18, 1957, he married Helen Blaffert of Mount Clemens. Their marriage lasted almost 55 years; cut short by Helen's death June 2, 2012. Together they raised three children: Christopher F., of Mount Clemens, Paul N. of Gorokan, New South Wales, Australia, and Julianne L. (Matthew) Kampling of Lenexa, KS. He enjoyed spending time with grandchildren Elizabeth and Matthew Groh, and Benjamin and Alexander Kampling.

Dr. Groh was a member of Zion United Church of Christ since he arrived in Mount Clemens in1956, serving twice as President, was Historian/Archivist for many years, as well as chairing the Memorials/Honors Committee, and co-chairing the Memorial Garden
Committee.

He was a member of the Rotary Club of Mount Clemens since 1969, and completed 45 years of Perfect Attendance. He was appointed an Honorary Life Member of both the Sterling Heights and Mount Clemens Rotary Clubs. He was the Charter President of the Macomb County Speech & Hearing Association in 1956, and of the Macomb-St. Clair Counties Speech & Hearing Association in 1960. He received an Honorary Life Membership from the Michigan Speech/Language/ Hearing Association, and was a member of the American Speech & Hearing Association for 30 years.

Dr. Groh was involved with Boy Scouts for over 40 years, as a Merit Badge Counsellor, Advancement Chair at Troop, District and Council levels, and was the recipient of the Silver Beaver Award. He also received a Patriotic Citizen Award from the Sons of the American Revolution.

The deceased was also a Life Member of the Mount Clemens Old Crowd.

Dr. Groh was a member of the Board of Trustees of Clinton Grove Cemetery for over twenty years. He also served on the Executive Board of Macomb Residential Opportunities for over 30 Years, and was Secretary of the Board for most of those years.

He was an Honorary Life Member of the National Huguenot Society and Past-President of the Huguenot Society of Michigan. He was a proficient genealogist, researching his and his wife's lineages to over 1,200 years ago. He willingly assisted others in their family researches. Having been a teacher of Latin at one time in his life, he was a capable linguist of Latin-based languages, German, Danish, and Norwegian, as well as Efik and Japanese.

Dr. Groh is survived by his sons, Christopher (Mary Rose Sheeler) of Mount Clemens and Windsor, ON, Paul of Gorokan,New South Wales, Australia, and daughter, Julianne (Matthew) Kampling of Lenexa, KS; grandchildren, Elizabeth Mei Ann and Matthew Philip Groh of Hudsonville, MI, and Benjamin Nicholas and Alexander Philip Kampling of Lenexa, KS. He is further survived by sisters, Gloria Anne Boydo of Williamsville, NY, and Barbara Mary Dobmeier of Port Colbourne, ON; nephews and nieces in Michigan, New York, Washington, and Oregon, former daughter-in-law, Mary Hockin of Hudsonville, and special niece, Margaret Fiehn Waltzer of Mount Clemens.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 8, 2017 at Zion United Church of Christ, Mount Clemens, followed by a committal service at Clinton Grove Memorial Park. Memorial gifts to Zion UCC, Rotary International, or Boy Scouts of America would be appreciated.

Funeral services will be provided by the Will & Schwarzkoff Funeral Home.