John Charles Grove

John C. Grove, 58, of Sugarcreek, passed away in his home surrounded by his loving family on Tuesday, September 22, 2020 after an exhausting and courageous battle against cancer.Born July 11, 1962 in Franklin, he was the son of the late Charles A. Grove and Charlotte P. (Baker) Grove Smith. He was the loving husband to the former Lisa Ditzenberger, whom he married in 1982; she survives him.In his early years, John excelled in replacing auto glass and owned his own business with his partner, Fred Maxon.After working in his own business for 10 years, John worked as an Ultrasonic Technician for Latrobe Steel. After suffering from a heart attack in 2014, John found himself wanting to push himself by finishing his college degree at Clarion University. He completed his freshman year with a 4.0 GPA, but an unfortunate diagnosis of cancer forced him to withdraw from school.Known to be a compassionate, social, and kindhearted man, John was beloved by all of his friends and made his family so proud. He was always ready and willing to lend a hand to someone in need and made many cherished friends in his lifetime. An avid lover of sports, John could often be found watching either the Pittsburgh Steelers or Pirates games, enjoyed deer hunting, and softball, but his most cherished memories will forever be of the times he spent with his family and his beloved dog, Pepsi.In addition to his wife, John will be forever remembered as a loving father to his son, Johnny Grove and his wife, Ashley, of Gibsonia; his daughter, Kasey Grove and her fiance, Simon Wynkoop, of Oil City; a beloved grandfather to his four grandchildren, Raien Wynkoop, Danni Wynkoop, Troy Grove, and Crew Grove; a cherished brother to Ronald Grove and his wife, Dawn, and Gale Shouey and his wife, Linda, both of Franklin; and a loving uncle and cousin to many nieces, nephews, and cousins.John was preceded in death by his parents; his infant daughter; his step-father, Keith Smith; and by his parents-in-law, Bob and Marlene Ditzenberger.In keeping with their wishes, funeral services will be held privately for the family.A Celebration of Life for John will be held at a later date and will be announced at the convenience of the family.Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Gardinier Funeral Home, Inc., 1315 Chestnut Street, Franklin, PA 16323.The family would like to thank AseraCare Hospice, especially Ashley and Melody, for the wonderful care they took of John during his time of need.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in John's honor to the Hillman Cancer Center in Seneca. To those wishing to send contributions, checks can be made out to "UPMC" with "John Grove" in the memo line to the address: Philanthropic Alumni Engagement, Records Management, University of Pittsburgh, 128 North Craig Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. To send cards, online condolences, or for further information, family and friends are invited to visit www.gardinierfuneralhome.com.