It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Dennis Allen Groves, affectionately known as "Papaw" to his grandchildren. He passed away surrounded by his loving wife and children on February 12, 2023. Born in Odessa, Texas on November 28, 1955, Dennis spent much of his early years in Brownfield, where he would later meet his soulmate and wife, Robin.

Dennis and Robin were married on August 27, 1976 and started their family soon after with the birth of their first child, his hero in so many ways, Allen, in 1977. Jennifer, the apple to his tree, followed a few years later in 1980 and then Tiffany, the baby of the family, his kindred spirit, in 1986. Despite the challenges of raising a young family, Dennis and Robin took a leap of faith and moved their family to Denton, Texas, where they set their roots and raised their children. This move to Denton would be regarded as one of Dennis and Robin's crowning achievements.

Throughout his life, Dennis faced many obstacles with courage and strength, including a 32 year long journey with cardiac mysteries and more recently his battle with Pancreatic Cancer. He was a proud but humble man who took every opportunity to tell stories about his family. He cherished his family and the simple pleasures in life, like a good ribeye steak, coaching youth sports, chocolate covered cherries, rock concerts from the 70s, Oklahoma casinos, his two loving cats, Classic Corvettes, and always being just a phone call away. His magnetic and genuine personality made everyone feel at ease in his presence.

Dennis worked for GTE (Verizon) for over 30 years, rising from a phone man to a supervisor to management, before retiring. However, he never truly retired and continued to work in the telecommunications industry until his final days.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Allen T. and Ruby Groves, and his sisters, Diane, Debbie, and Terri. He leaves his wife of over 46 years, Robin; son, Allen (Christie); daughters, Jennifer (Jeff) and Tiffany (David); and grandchildren, Jackson, Brady, Colston, Connor, Nora, and Theodore.

A memorial service will be held on February 25, 2023 at First Baptist Church in Denton at 3 PM, followed by a Celebration of Life at Rudy's Barbecue at 5 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Dennis' name to Communities in Schools of North Texas (https://cisnt.org/donate/), an organization that supports children and aligns with Dennis' belief that every child deserves an opportunity.

Dennis lived life to the fullest and treated each day as a gift. His legacy will live on in the hearts of all those who knew and loved him. He will be deeply missed and remembered forever.