Paul, Mary Groth enjoy special bond
SWEETHEARTS STILL — Paul and Mary Groth of Ellendale are still going strong after all these years. They celebrated their 58th anniversary in December. (Star Eagle photo by Kathy Paulsen)
By KATHY PAULSEN
Staff Writer
Oh, but that every day were Valentine’s Day.
Symbolic, the love we have for others could be celebrated every day. How hard is it to express one’s love? Most people do it every day by saying, "I love you," giving a kiss, a hug or a handshake as a cheerful greeting.
Is there anything sweeter than seeing a young couple holding hands and looking at each other lovingly? Of course, that is anytime you are a couple who are just that — a couple with love and companionship apparent for everyone to see and enjoy.
A couple that could portray Valentine’s Day could be many, but one special couple in particular that many of us have seen for a number of years and have to know is Paul and Mary Groth. They are as close as any married couple could be. Side by side, hand in hand, friend and friend. The crossing of their two paths, the clasping of their two hands, the joining of their two hearts has been wonderful.
Paul, along with his parents Oscar and Alice and brothers Raymond and Dale, moved to Ellendale from Mason City, Iowa in the mid-1950s and they became owners of the local furniture store. Paul was in the second half of his senior year of high school when they moved to Ellendale, graduating in 1955. Paul and Mary met in high school, dated and spent time together over the summer before Paul went off to Waldorf College in the fall, where he studied business.
Paul and Mary continued to see each other when Paul could get back home for visits, and the two of them attended Mary's senior prom together in 1956. Mary spent the summer following her graduation working as a nanny in Minneapolis, but Paul made many trips to see her. When fall arrived, Mary decided to continue her education at Winona State and Paul went back to Waldorf, but both came home on weekends.
After being apart so much that year, after Paul graduated from high school he decided to ask Mary if she would become his wife. In June of 1956, Paul proposed and of course she said, "Yes." They were married later that year on the 16th of December at Community Lutheran in Geneva.
Mary’s attendants were Jean Bartsch Ahlstrom, Verona Randall Winegar and Audrey Hemingway Larson. Mary’s niece, Joan Ahlstrom Diederich, Jean and Raymond Ahlstrom’s daughter, was her flower girl.
Paul’s brothers, Raymond and Dale, and Mary’s brother, Harold, were groomsmen and Mary’s nephew, Greg Bartsch, son of Donald and Mavis Bartsch, was ring bearer. Ray Ahlstrom, Donald Bartsch, Cliff Bartsch and Harold Shepherd served as ushers and Janice Tufte and Nancy Nielsen VerHey were candle lighters.
Rochester was the destination picked for their honeymoon, but they had to shorten their time together when Mary got the hives and they had to come home so Mary could go the doctor.
Paul went to work at Wilson’s in Albert Lea and worked in different areas of the office, including working on the early computers. Mary had intended to go back to college, but decided it would be too expensive for them so she also went to work in the office at Wilson’s. She later worked for Lithograph in Albert Lea.
Paul’s dad, Oscar, died a few years later, in 1962, so Paul decided he better help out in the family business, and started laying flooring and delivering furniture for his mother. Paul worked nights at Wilson’s and also drove school bus for a time. Paul and Mary later became owners of Groth Furniture in January of 1967 and moved into the upstairs apartment. Paul and Mary worked well together and later decided to expand their showroom and warehouse, and their business thrived. Mary said she was the salesman and Paul laid the carpet, ceramic, wood and Formica flooring. Later, in 1979, their son, Scott, joined the business. During the recession years, in the early 2000s, the Groths decided to change their operation and converted it to a floor covering business.
Paul and Mary operated their successful business on "The Top of the Hill in Ellendale" for 38 years before they decided it was time for them to retire in 2005, leaving the business for Scott to run. The "Top of the Hill" slogan was something Scott had come up with, as many times people would inquire where Groth Furniture was located and Scott would say, "At the top of the hill in Ellendale." Scott later changed the name to Floors 4-U.
Paul and Mary did like to "get away from the store and out of town" from time to time and they were able to do a great deal of traveling as they earned a lot of "perks" or points from the many carpet companies they did business with. A couple times they were able to take two trips in one year.
They have been on eight cruises and have been able to visit a number of wonderful places, including the French Riviera, the Panama Canal, the Caribbean and Montreal, Canada. They have also visited London twice, Acapulco twice, Hawaii twice, as well as Bermuda, Porte Verda, Trinidad, Tapogo and their favorite, Greece. They have also been to Las Vegas several times, as that is where the trade shows were held. Paul and Mary were lucky enough to win a red Mustang convertible in 1990.
Paul and Mary have always busy in our local communities with city and church activates. Paul served on the Ellendale City Council for 38 years, including two as mayor. He was also a charter member of the Lions Club. Paul and Mary have served on the Community Lutheran Church Council, as well as have been Sunday School teachers. Mary is involved with WELCA, the altar gGuild and plays with the Tones group at church.
Family is very important to this couple. Their son, Scott, was born in 1958, and Chuck followed three years later. They are also proud grandparents and great grandparents.
Scott and Joni live across the street from the store and they have three children, Allison, Ben and Abe. Joni works at Whispering Winds and Lerberg’s in Ellendale.
Allison is married to Chad Muilenburg; they live at Maple Island and have a 6-year-old daughter, Cloe.
Ben got married in October of 2014 to Whitney Thompson, from Lewiston; they live in Rochester and they have one son, Wyatt, who will be 5.
Abe and Ashley Wolf live in rural Albert Lea and they have one son, Adyn, who recently celebrated his third birthday.
Chuck and his wife, Jean, live at Beaver Lake. They have one daughter, Laura, who is married to Tyler Chester, and live at Chisago, which is by Forest Lake, and have two daughters, Lily, 3, and Leah, 1.
Chuck works for Owatonna Ford Chrysler as an auto body repairman and Jean is a teacher at NRHEG.
Paul and Mary lived in an apartment above their business for many years. They also built a lake home on the south side Beaver Lake in the Val Halla edition in 1972. Paul and Mary spent a great deal of time there, especially during the hot days of summer. They typically would be at the lake from May until September or October, depending on the weather. They sold their lake home the summer of 2005 and built a twin home in the Brekke addition in Ellendale.
Mary likes to cook and bake and she and Paul invite many friends and relatives to their home and enjoy special times together. The Groths try to have one "Taco Sunday" every month for whoever can come. Typically Mary prepares 10 pounds of ground beef. They like soft shell tacos, which Mary fries a little on top of the stove first.
Friends come and play cards and board games with them from time to time. They enjoy playing hand and foot, poker and cribbage. Mary said Paul is really good at cribbage. Mark Rud, a former teacher at NRHEG, comes often to plays cards with Paul.
When asked if Paul and Mary had a computer, so she could be sent a copy of their story to review, Mary quickly said, "Yes, but, I hate computers".
The best gifts that life offers cannot be seen or even touched. That must be felt with the heart.
Enjoy this special day and all the gifts it holds.
Happy Valentine’s Day.