Herbert Harley Degroot

Herbert Harley DeGroot, 89, died Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at his home. Born on the prairies of Wyoming to homesteading parents, Homer F. (came to this country from Holland) and Jeanette Chiron DeGroot (whose parents came from France). In 1926, Herbert, along with his parents, brothers Bud and Henry, and sister Sally, left Wyoming traveling in two T-Models to Paoli, Pennsylvania a three week trip. One year later, they all moved to the Hamptons on Long Island, New York. After graduating from Southampton High School in 1940, Herbert joined his parents in Kingsport, Tennessee where he worked for Tennessee Eastman Corporation. Herb enlisted in the Army Air Corp as a Meteorologist Technician. He crossed the pacific via Hobart, Tasmania and then on to Perth, Australia. Herb served in the China/Burma/India Theatre of Operations, mainly gathering information for our pilots flying sorties in Siam, Burma, and French Indo China and the many flights over the Hump. He returned home via the Suez Canal and out through the Straits of Gibraltar to dock in New York City harbor next to the USS Missouri. He returned to marry his sweetheart, Mona Buckles. (By the way, they have all the letters that they wrote one another over the war years!). In 1955, Herbert, Mona, and daughters Marsha and Becky came to Macon where he was a weather forecaster with the US Weather Bureau. For years, the public of Middle Georgia received the daily forecast, weather alerts, watches and warnings via radio and dialing the weather station at Cochran Field. In his life, Herbert shared three loves. He loved his family, he loved his work, and he loved his Lord and Savior. He and his mate were saved 60 years.

Herbert is survived by his wife of 65 years, his daughters Marsha and husband George Johnson, Becky and her husband Dr. W. Darrell Barringer, by his grandchildren: Scott Johnson and wife Lara, Todd Johnson and wife Jessica, Bradley Barringer and wife Kimberly, Katie Kitchens and husband Joshua, and Kerri Snipes and husband Jonathan. He is survived by two great grandchildren: Haley Johnson and Natalee Johnson.

Visitation will be at McCullough Funeral Home, Warner Robins, GA from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday, February 17, 2011. Funeral services will be conducted by Reverend Mike Slade and members of Mr. DeGroot's Men's Sunday School Class at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, February 18, 2011 in the McCullough Funeral Home Chapel. Mr. DeGroot was a member at Second Baptist Church, Warner Robins. Burial will be at Magnolia Park Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to missionary to India, Mr. George Oomans in care of Open Air Campaigners, P.O.Box D. Nazareth, PA 18064.


Funeral Home:
McCullough Funeral Home
417 S. Houston Lake Rd.
Warner Robins, GA
US 31088