Douglas Gene “Doug” Groner went to be with his Lord on Monday, November 9, 2020, at the age of 81. Graveside services and interment will be at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, November 14 at Jackson Field Cemetery in Preston, Mississippi, with Michael Ball officiating.
Douglas Gene Groner was born in 1939 in Syracuse, New York. He joined the United States Marines when he was 17 years old. He began his education at Syracuse University but began working for General Electric where he transferred to Bahamas, California, and finally to the NASA test facility in Picayune, Mississippi, where he met and married the love of his life Rita Adcock Groner. They had two girls – Michelle and Melanie while living in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi. After the first rocket landed on the moon the GE contract with NASA ended, so he decided to pursue his degree at Gulf Coast Community College and Mississippi State University in accounting. The family moved to Pearl where he worked for the State Tax Commission until he started his own business. Later he returned to the State to retire as an accountant for the Mississippi Department of Transportation. Doug has been a sports fan all of his life. He has been an avid fan of the Pearl Pirates for over 40 years. Doug served as a timer for the Pearl Track Team and the Pearl Cross Country Team for 25 years as a volunteer. He rarely missed a Pearl Basketball or Pearl Football game. He has been a season ticket holder for the Mississippi Braves for 16 years. His call for “Defense” will be missed at all the games.
Doug was an avid reader and had a book in his hands most of the time. We have many fond memories of him reading to us as kids and encouraging us by purchasing books anytime we had an interest. Doug researched Genealogy and has records for days on not just our family but friends of families. He loved all types of music but his real love was Blues and Jazz. He listened for hours and loved talking to other music lovers. He loved his four Grandchildren and got so much joy spending time with them as babies reading to them and playing games. He loved attending their sporting events and performances.
Serving as pallbearers are Michael Busby, Daniel Hyams, Nate Hyams, Sam Hayms, David Gainey, Hunter Gainey, Brandon Heard, and Brent Wade. Memorials in memory of Doug may be given to Mississippi State University Baptist Student Union, P. O. Box BU, Mississippi State, MS 39762 or Scholarship Fund at Pearl High School, 500 Pirate Cove, Pearl, MS 39208
Services are under the direction of Nowell Massey Funeral Home, 724 North Columbus Avenue, Louisville, MS. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family by signing the guest register at www.nowell-masseyfuneralhome.com.
