I remember Pat, in junior high, with her beautiful red hair, always had her Bible with her so she could study it in preparation to become a missionary. It isn't important what you believe, but it is important that the way you live your life is a reflection of what you believe and Pat did just that. I was sorry to hear of her tragic death.
My name is Larry Groff. I am the brother of Patricia (Pat) Groff, Class of 1959. I just happened to run across your website today and was touched by the entry concerning Pat by Frances Hoctor Dorr in the In Memory section.
As you might be aware, Pat was slain by an intruder in March 1967 while serving as a missionary-teacher in Bandung, Java, Indonesia. She had realized her lifetime ambition to serve as a missionary-teacher and had been in the field only 60 days.
In November 2008 a story I wrote about Pat and this incident was published in the book "God Stories: Inspiring Encounters With The Divine", edited by Jennifer Skiff, a journalist and former award-winning CNN journalist. It was published by RandomHouse/Crown/Harmony. Jennifer Skiff appeared on The Today Show with Kathie Lee Gifford on December 22, 2008 discussing the book. It rose to Number 1 in sales in two categories on www.amazon.com after that appearance.
There is a website concerning the book at www.godstories.com with further information. A TV series is planned based on stories in the book. The particular stories to be used from the book has not yet been decided.
I thought members of the Class of 1959 would be interested in this information. An interesting fact I discovered later (it is in addition to the story in the book) is that in 1967 when Pat's body was escorted by an Indonesian honor guard from the mountains of Bandung to Djakarta for shipment back to Rhode Island, some of the arrangments were handled by the US. Embassy in Djakarta. A young woman of 25 (the same age as Pat)was working there. She had a little boy of 6. You might recognize his name. It was Barack Obama.
Little did we know that so many years later that little boy would become President of the United States.
These events happened many years ago but they seem like yesterday.
I hope that there are others in addition to Frances Hoctor Dorr who remember my sister, the wonderful person with the bright red hair and a heart filled with hope who lost her life while serving the church she loved.
Frances Hoctor (Dorr)
I remember Pat, in junior high, with her beautiful red hair, always had her Bible with her so she could study it in preparation to become a missionary. It isn't important what you believe, but it is important that the way you live your life is a reflection of what you believe and Pat did just that. I was sorry to hear of her tragic death.Larry Z Groff (Groff)
My name is Larry Groff. I am the brother of Patricia (Pat) Groff, Class of 1959. I just happened to run across your website today and was touched by the entry concerning Pat by Frances Hoctor Dorr in the In Memory section.As you might be aware, Pat was slain by an intruder in March 1967 while serving as a missionary-teacher in Bandung, Java, Indonesia. She had realized her lifetime ambition to serve as a missionary-teacher and had been in the field only 60 days.
In November 2008 a story I wrote about Pat and this incident was published in the book "God Stories: Inspiring Encounters With The Divine", edited by Jennifer Skiff, a journalist and former award-winning CNN journalist. It was published by RandomHouse/Crown/Harmony. Jennifer Skiff appeared on The Today Show with Kathie Lee Gifford on December 22, 2008 discussing the book. It rose to Number 1 in sales in two categories on www.amazon.com after that appearance.
There is a website concerning the book at www.godstories.com with further information. A TV series is planned based on stories in the book. The particular stories to be used from the book has not yet been decided.
I thought members of the Class of 1959 would be interested in this information. An interesting fact I discovered later (it is in addition to the story in the book) is that in 1967 when Pat's body was escorted by an Indonesian honor guard from the mountains of Bandung to Djakarta for shipment back to Rhode Island, some of the arrangments were handled by the US. Embassy in Djakarta. A young woman of 25 (the same age as Pat)was working there. She had a little boy of 6.
You might recognize his name. It was Barack Obama.
Little did we know that so many years later that little boy would become President of the United States.
These events happened many years ago but they seem like yesterday.
I hope that there are others in addition to Frances Hoctor Dorr who remember my sister, the wonderful person with the bright red hair and a heart filled with hope who lost her life while serving the church she loved.
Best Wishes,
Larry Groff