Funeral Services for Aaron Eugene Grothe, age 87, will be 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 7, 2012 at the Fairview Central Christian Church. Reverend Ronnie Hopkins will officiate. Burial will follow in the Aline Star Cemetery. Arrangements are by Fairview Funeral Home, Inc.

Aaron was born May 7, 1925 near Vici, Oklahoma on the family farm to Walter and Alice Grothe and died December 3, 2012 at the Integris Clinton Regional Hospital in Clinton, Oklahoma.

Aaron grew up near Vici and started school at a one room school called Sunnyside. He spent many hours hunting and fishing there. During the Depression years his parents sold the farm and moved to Arkansas, Colorado and Kansas to make a living for his family. Aaron remembers attending thirteen schools during his childhood. While going to school at Homestead he played on the baseball team and was one of their pitchers. He pitched a very good curve ball.

At the age of 18, he received his draft notice and went into the U.S. Army during WWII. He spent 6 months basic training at Joseph P Robinson Army Post in Little Rock, Arkansas. After Basic he was shipped to Maryland and then took a long ride on the Queen Mary to Scotland, through England, crossed the English Channel and then to the front line in France. Aaron was assigned to the 95th Infantry Division there. They fought for several days and pushed the Germans back to Metz. While at Metz, Aaron and two other guys were serving as look out in a building overlooking the front lines. There they sighted a German 88 gun. Aaron being the only one of the three qualified to shoot a bazooka he did so and hit the 88 gun. However, the Germans shot the building they were in and one of the three were killed the other badly wounded and Aaron was hit in the back with shrapnel. They dug the shrapnel out of his back, was allowed to sleep all night and then the next day he returned to his division.

Later on during the war, Aaron was fighting near Bar-le Duc, France and he was shot in the leg. This time he was sent back to an Army Hospital in England. After a short time in the hospital he returned to his division and saw many more battles in Belgium and later in Germany. After the war ended in 1945, he returned to Little Rock, Arkansas and was honorable discharged. Aaron was the recipient of two Purple Hearts.

After he was discharged from the Army he returned home and went back to work for Guy Smith on a farm. Aaron met a lovely young lady by the name of Dixie Stevens. For the next 2 and ½ years they dated and on June 28, 1949 they went to Cherokee and were married. After they were married Aaron worked for U.S. Gypsum at Southard as an electrician. Aaron and Dixie were blessed with two girls, Teresa and Beckie. Aaron bought some land just east of Canton, moved there and started a salvage business. It later grew and he started working with steel and building metal building. He sold that business and moved 4 ½ miles north of Fairview and started Grothe Steel where he worked until his health made him retire.

Surviving are his two daughters Teresa Frantz of Elk City and Beckie Cunningham of Stillwater, five grandchildren; Jackie Davidson, Tracy Goodson, Vickie Bates, Lowell Eugene Cunningham and Donovan Cunningham, five great granddaughters, and sister, Dorene Blumer of Seiling.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Dixie, two brothers, one sister and one son-in-law.

Memorials may be made to the Clinton Veterans Center with Fairview Funeral Home acting as custodian.

Condolences may be made online at www.fairviewfuneralhomeinc.com .