GROWW Founder

 

~ Judy Divers ~

We were married December 15th, 1962, we almost made it 30 years when I lost my husband to pancreatic cancer, September 4, 1992. We had four sons, two of them were married and had given us 4 beautiful grandchildren. Since Bill died, two more sons married and soon there will be 12 grandchildren because of my marriage to Bill Divers. Quite a legacy to a wonderful man who loved his family so much. At my husband's funeral service, I told our family and friends that Bill Divers showed everyone how to "live with cancer". If God were to use someone as an example of how He wanted us to live, it was Bill. It was because of him, seeing his love, his courage and his faith as he lost the battle to cancer but won a battle of life, that Bill Divers taught me how to go on with my life. He would tell me not to cry, but to count my blessings and he would always be with me. It is for him and because of him that GROWW exists today. We can't search for the reasons why, but I vowed to give his death and my life a purpose by showing as many as I could that through all the pain there can somehow be a way to make good things come of the tragedy of losing someone so precious.

August 25, 1941 ~ October 30, 2002

Jim

AKA JimK4

This was my intro when I first visited chat in October '96. The only change is the age which is sometimes a lot older, sometimes quite younger. My best pal, Liz, had a stroke on the day we buried her mother and died just five days later, 1/28/96. Perhaps He thought her work was done. I didn't; still don't. Neither do our kids, Beth, Jim, Jeremy and Brendhan. And little Katie and Kieran will never know how great grandmothering can be. But, like everyone else, I must accept the things I cannot change and make her proud of how well she trained me and make each day one we can be proud of. I must move on because she would want me to.

GROWW Officers

AnneGD ~ AnneGD@groww.org 

AKA GFWHostAnneGD

**AGELESS** Georgia. I lost my husband Michael from complications due to stomach cancer on Feb. 27, 1997. He was 3 weeks shy of his 44th birthday. He was diagnosed 3 weeks after his 42nd birthday and tried with all his might to beat it, but the cancer beat him in the end. He crashed once after the initial surgery and saw the "light" but he said he couldn't go at that time (maybe because I was yelling at him that he couldn't leave us yet!). He stayed with us for 9 months after that knowing that we needed him in any way, shape or form. Finally, I told him it was ok to go find peace and be pain-free, and that we would be ok. It wasn't easy to let him go, but I knew I had to. The hardest part was trying to explain to a 5-year-old that Daddy was going to die. It's been 4 years now and life sure has changed. We have been blessed a second time, met a fellow widower right here thru GROWW, married 10/15/99. Now I have 3 kids, 3 cats and a dog! I will always try to give back as much as I get from GROWW, it saved my sanity and I have made some of the best friends I've ever had here. " With an open heart and an open mind ANYTHING is possible".

GROWW Executive Director, Host for Grief Recovery, Manager for GROWW for Widowed

GROWW Staff

PhilD pesciclone1@aol.com

AKA GFWHostPhilD

"Old enough to know better", Georgia. I lost my wife Pam on 12/17/97 from what they call multiple medication poisoning, meaning too many doctors prescribing too many drugs. Would have been married 25 years 11 months from the day she died, left me with 2 kids 11 and 16 at the time. Went to AOL WW and Judy Divers found me there, told me she was starting a new site called GROWW, I had no idea what she was talking about at the time but I figured I'd give it a shot. Glad I did. I soon found out that grief came in many categories, and that it had no age limits. I read somewhere that death ends a life, not a relationship; we lose the physical presence but will always have the spiritual presence. Because of this, I felt like many of us do, that I would always be alone. Boy, was I wrong. I found through GROWW that we can move on and in some cases even find happiness again. I was fortunate enough to find someone to share my Life, right here in GROWW. I try to give back and share what I have learned and experienced in my journey through the grieving process. I know a lot of folks think it will never get better, but it does. If WE want it too………we all control our own destiny. Look, if ya don't like the cards you were dealt…. Re-shuffle the deck.

GROWW Director of Security, Host for GROWW for Widowed

Rachel - Rachel@groww.org

I live in Vermont on a country road with the trees and wildlife surrounding me. Charlie died suddenly, on 11/8/98, from a heart attack after responding to a car fire as deputy chief of our small local vol. fire dept. He was 56 and had no prior history of health problems. There is no doubt in my mind that emergency personnel, on the scene, did everything they could to save him but it was not to be. Our family consists of my son, his 2 sons and a grandaughter that was the light of his life. I am very fortunate as his sons remain close. My son is currently in the coast guard. I found GROWW in May of 99 and the support here was unbelievable. It is here that I have learned to laugh again and my hope is that I can make this path we must travel a little less difficult for others.

GROWW Webmistress, Host for GROWW for Widowed, Host for Grief Recovery,

Libby

Libby ~ Libby@groww.org

AKA GFWHostLibby, GRHostLibby, GAHostLibby 

I lost my husband and best friend of almost 25 years, John, on 3/15/97.  We started our journey in February of 1995 when his doctor first feared that John could have ALS.  It was later confirmed that John had a rare neurological disorder called OPCA which basically means that his brainstem was dying.  Through our years together we were blessed with two great kids, Jenny and Aaron.  John was able to meet Jenny's future husband and get to know him before he passed away.  Jenny was married two months after he died.  He was also able to see our son graduate from high school in 1995.  Before John's death, I was never online.  But in the summer of 1998 I found GROWW and GFWO and must say I'm addicted.  I realized that we have such a bond that unless you have experienced death of a spouse you cannot truly understand.  I have been blessed with so many good friends through GFWO and was able to meet many of them through the years.  I know in my heart that John is in a better place and that while we may not agree, everything happens to us for a reason.  I truly believe that my reason is to give back the kindness and understanding what I have been given each day.  

GROWW Director of Branches, Host for GROWW for Widowed, Host for Grief Recovery

Barby - GRHostBarby

My husband, Pete, died 12/30/97 of pancreatic cancer that had been diagnosed 7 months earlier. We had been married for 19 years. I have one son (1970) and one daughter (1972) from a prior marriage. The children were 8 and 6 when Pete and I married and became a blended family of his standard schnauzers, my golden retrievers and my children. I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico with three dogs and one cat. I learned of GROWW from ((( MY Anne))) in March of 1998, and have been here pretty much ever since. I have been to several gatherings, and urge you attend one if you can. It's a wonderful way to put a face with a "voice," the bonds become even further deepened, and we have a terrific time. At each gathering I have attended someone from outside GROWW has remarked that we are one of the happiest groups he/she has ever seen, and asks what sort of group we are. The answer, of course, tends to leave them speechless. I have met some of my dearest lifetime friends in GROWW. Whether robed or not, each of us is a GROWW host, as each of us is a member, and it's awesome to watch a "newbie," in spite of the pain, start to LOL (which generally takes them by surprise) and then begin to reach out to others with love, compassion and concern. It is human resiliency and loving kindness at its very best. I am honored to wear the robes of a host in memory of JudyD and in the hope that I can return some of the love and understanding I have received in GROWW.

Host for Grief Recovery, Host for GROWW for Widowed, Director of Communications

Branch Host Biographies

GOLDEN ANGELS
Widowed over 50

GROWW FOR WIDOWED

GUIDING FOR YOUTHS

GUIDING ANGELS
Loss of Parents / Grandparents

HEAVENLY ANGELS
Loss of Children, Miscarriages, Stillbirths

Rainbow Angels

RELUCTANT ANGELS
Survivors of Suicide

SILENCED ANGELS
Loss to Violence