Charles Eugene de Groff, of Washington, died peacefully Aug. 23, surrounded by his family. Born April 9, 1923 in Bridgeport, Conn., “Gene” was the son of William and Eugenie de Groff. He attended Norwalk and Stratford schools and graduated from Stratford High School in 1940 and then enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps. He served as a sergeant in England during WWII.
When he returned from the war, he married Alice Hilda Tejc, whom he met in the choir at Christ Episcopal Church in Stratford, Conn. Their story was one of devotion, and they remained married until the time of her death in 2004 after her long illness with Alzheimer’s disease.
Gene s life was filled with service. Committed to bringing music to the community, he organized frequent benefit opera concerts with his group, The Musical Camerata. As choir director of St. Giles Episcopal Church in Jefferson, he founded the annual Country Fair, adding hayrides, chicken barbecues, square dancing, crafts, and baking and flower-arranging contests. He organized and called square dances for area youth and also produced benefit concerts to raise money for a new organ for St. Giles. He planned town centennials and activities, and the 2007 Washington Town Report was dedicated to him.
He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Huguenot Society, the Mayflower Society, the Holland Society, and the Griswold Family Society. An avid genealogist, he delighted in tracing his historic background and traced his family tree back to King Louis IX.
He spent his happiest hours preparing for dramatic productions and musical performances.
He will long be remembered as a hard-working and devoted husband, father, and grandfather. The patriarch of his family, he had a constant supply of energy and even laughed and joked with his loved ones during his final days.
Gene is survived by his children, Deborah Alison de Groff and husband George Semaan of Queens, N.Y., Betsey Marthelia de Groff of Norwalk, Conn., and Robert Charles de Groff and wife Christina of Washington; grandchildren, Andrea de Groff of Quincy, Mass., Maria Williams and husband Luke of Germantown, Tenn., Katherine Walsh and husband John of Virginia, Michael Lavway, currently stationed with the U.S. Army in Oklahoma, Samantha Eve de Groff of Washington, and two great grandchildren, Samuel and Abigail Williams of Germantown, Tenn., who all brought him much delight.
Visiting hours 6-8 p.m., Fri., Aug. 29 at Saint Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Newcastle. Funeral services 2 p.m., Sat., Aug. 30 at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his name to the Maine Alzheimer’s Disease Association, Inc., 163 Lancaster St., Suite 160B, Portland, ME 04101.
Arrangements are entrusted to Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 949 Main St., Waldoboro.
