Carl Merle Grober

Carl Merle Grober passed away on February 11, 2023 in Muskogee. He was born in Muskogee on August 31, 1927 to Walter and Opal Grober and was the youngest of four boys. He grew up in Muskogee and graduated from Muskogee Central High School in 1945 and attended Merchant Marine School in Sheepshead Bay, NY and OSU Okmlugee, where he received his associates degree. It was 1948 when he met his wife, Dolores Nell Ford, at “stag corner” in Muskogee. Merle had just returned from service with the U.S. Army in Korea and they began their relationship. Merle and Dolores were married in Van Buren, Arkansas in 1950 and he attended OSU Okmulgee studying the electrical business. In 1956 Merle and Dolores started their family and had two sons, Mark and Steven. Merle started Grober Electric in 1962 and was a tireless and dedicated worker. He especially enjoyed going to the lake, coaching little league, attending Muskogee and OSU sporting events, and any family activity. He couldn’t cook, quite frankly because Dolores wouldn’t let him, but was always the cleanup soldier in the kitchen. Merle loved to travel, Dolores made him, but he did enjoy trips to England, Germany, Mexico and many other places in the USA. When Dolores retired she decided they needed to spend a month in Florida each winter, but Merle, not enjoying the late start times to watch OSU basketball games on television, prevailed on Dolores that she must really be missing her granddaughters and put an end to this annual trip. He named his granddaughters the CAKE girls (Christi, Amy, Kelly, Emily) and they were his pride and joy and he instilled in them his intense loyalty to family. Julie and Valerie, his daughters-in-law, were the daughters he never had, and he was always on standby if the granddaughters needed transportation, especially the youngest Emily, who conned him into yogurt or some other treat nearly every day. Merle missed the love of his life Dolores intensely after her passing in 2015 but continued to live in the family home until his death. He instilled in his family a strong work ethic and fierce loyalty to family. His family wishes to offer a special thanks to Suzan Guthrie who went out of her way to show love, care and patience to Merle in his final years. Merle is survived by his sons, Steven Grober and wife Julie, and Mark Grober and wife Valerie of Muskogee; granddaughters, Christina Ambuehl and Ben, Johns Creek, GA, Amy Finch and Allen, Tuttle, OK, Kelly Murray and Carl, Oologah, OK and Emily Trotter and Jeff, Jones, OK; great grandchildren, Liza Jane, Chaz, Beckett and Silas Ambuehl; Noah, Lily and Josiah Finch; Reed and Faye Murray; Darcy and Pearl Trotter; sister-in-law, Joyce McCormick, Katy, Texas; brother-in-law, Raymond Ford, Jr. and Ellen, Lantana, Texas; sister-in-law, Georgelene Grober, Muskogee, OK; and numerous nephews and nieces. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to the OSU Foundation and designated to the General Scholarship Fund; Checks should be made payable to the OSU Foundation and mailed to PO Box 1749, Stillwater, OK 74076-1749. Memorial donations can also be made online at www.OSUgiving.com. Services will be at 12:30 on Friday, February 17, 2023 at the Fort Gibson National Cemetery with military honors being presented.

Carl Merle Grober

August 31, 1927 - February 11, 2023