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Chester man turns 102 today

Buck Groves tries to get everyone’s attention at his father Leonard Groves’ birthday party on Sunday at the Calcutta Health Care Center. Leonard Groves (seated with hat on) turns 102 today. With him at the table are his daughters (from left) Peg Laughlin, of Hookstown, Pa., and Nancy Wilson, of East Liverpool. Behind him are his grandchildren, Julie Harazin, of East Liverpool, and Brandon Groves, of Chester. (Photo by Stephen Huba)

CALCUTTA–From flooding to rearing five children, Leonard A. Groves has seen it all.

On Sunday, family and friends gathered with the former Chester man at the Calcutta Health Care Center to celebrate his birthday. He turns 102 today.

Groves was born on Oct. 31, 1914, in Morgantown, W.Va., and was raised in Grafton, W.Va., by Francis and Bessie Groves.

He moved to Chester to start a family and operated a service station in front the Arner Funeral Chapel, before taking a job at J&L Steel in Aliquippa, Pa.

Groves also delivered coal to the area at a time when the Ohio River was low enough to cross on horse and wagon, said his son, Buck Groves, of Chester.

His home was destroyed in the flood of 1936, forcing the family to move.

Groves was married twice, to Etta Stuchell and Betty Moran. Both of them are deceased.

Two of his daughters, Kathlene Martin and Penny Tinkey, also are deceased.

Two others, Peg Laughlin, Hookstown, Pa., and Nancy Wilson, of East Liverpool, attended Sunday’s birthday party.

Also in attendance were grandchildren Candy Laughlin, of Hookstown, Brandon Groves, of Chester, and Julie Harazin, of East Liverpool.

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