Charlene Grover

Charlene Montgomery Grover

June 1, 1931 ~ December 18, 2021

Charlene Montgomery Grover of Townsend, MT and Enterprise (Morgan) UT passed away Saturday, December 18, 2021. On June 1, 1931, she was born in Huntsville, UT, to Leland James and Ellen Lucille Harrison Montgomery. She was the 4th out of eight children. Her family lived on a dairy farm in Huntsville, and she attended school in Huntsville and then Weber High.

She lost her mother when she was 11. Her father married Beverly Saville Grow, which brought two more girls to the family. Eventually, another daughter and son were added to the family.

After being sweethearts in high school, she married Donald Merlin Grover on October 7, 1948. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Logan Temple.

They moved back and forth between Utah and Montana several times, raising their kids along the way. LaMont D and Rodney Lee were born in Utah, and Ellen and Gail were born in Montana.

The family spent a lot of time exploring, four-wheeling in a jeep, hunting, fishing, camping in the mountains, snowmobiling, boating, water skiing, traveling in a motorhome, and just having fun as a family. Along with the fun was a lot of hard work. Don and Charlene’s motto was work before play. Charlene worked side by side with Don in the gas station for years. During their years in Townsend and then Helena, Charlene did the bookkeeping and upholstered cars and trucks (which she learned at Everton Mattress in Brigham City, UT). Our family had the best-looking upholstered vehicles in town.

After their kids were married, Don and Charlene moved to Pocatello and bought a furniture store. Don got bored with it and bought a gas station.  After a few years, they sold both businesses and moved back to Montana. Charlene started working in her son, Rod’s, barbershop. She loved being there, and his customers loved her. When Rod sees his former customers, they still ask him how his Mom is doing.

One of Charlene’s happiest times was when Don returned with her to the temple in Oakland, CA to witness the sealing of Derek, Gail and Tom’s son. From there, they went to as many temples as they could.

Don decided to buy Grover Motors from his brother Mel Grover so once again they moved back to Townsend. One day Don came home and told Charlene he had purchased the Silos Campground, north of town. Son Mont and his wife Nancy ran the campground for several years. After a few years, Don closed Grover Motors and they moved to the Campground. This is where their grandchildren were really taught to work.

When they decided it was time to retire, they sold the campground and bought a house on 20 acres on Deep Creek. A year later, Don got cancer and passed away in January 1998.

Charlene stayed busy with family and church. In February 2007, she was called to serve in the Independence Missouri Mission, where her sister and brother-in-law, Judy and Bob Poll, were serving. Charlene was the secretary to President James Hacking and loved her time with the staff and missionaries. Most of all, she loved serving with her sister, Judy. After completing her mission in March 2008, her children, Rod, Ellen and Kent, Gail and Tom, went to pick her up in Missouri. Everyone enjoyed seeing the sights and meeting all the missionaries she served with. She was very much loved there.

During the next several years she continued to travel regularly between Montana and Utah. She also took many trips with Ellen and Gail to family baptisms all over the US.

In 2018, the family planned a trip to Alaska. Ellen’s son, Milt, and his family lived in Alaska at the time, and they planned fun times for all. Kent, Ellen, Tom, Gail, and Charlene flew into Anchorage and spent 10 fun-filled days touring Alaska in a motorhome. One of the stops was North Pole, where Don’s youngest brother Jed Grover was celebrating his 80th birthday. Rod and Stephanie joined the group, and they finished up this incredible adventure with a cruise ending in Vancouver, Wa. It was the trip of a lifetime, enjoyed by all.

In the Spring of 2018, Ellen and Gail, and their spouses decided to build on Ellen’s home to provide a place for Gail, Tom, and Charlene. It was completed in July 2019. She loved decorating her room.

Charlene was diagnosed with kidney failure in the Fall of 2018. She opted not to have dialysis, hoping to have the best quality of life possible. She continued traveling back and forth between Montana and Utah.

All her life, Charlene stayed busy. She crocheted more baby dresses than she could count, sent birthday cards to ALL her family (over 100 yearly), attended grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s birthday parties, school programs, recitals, blessings and baptisms.

She served in the Billings Temple for many years, had a very special Family Home Evening group who met weekly, and enjoyed many dinners with family. She was famous for her carrot cake and caramels. She was loved by all who knew her.

Charlene is survived by her children, Mont (Nancy) Grover, Rod (Stephanie) Grover, Ellen (Kent) Poll, and Gail (Tom) Horne; 17 grandchildren who all thought they were her favorite, 45 great-grandchildren, 5 great-great-grandchildren, and many others who called her Grandma. She is also survived by her family, Joyce Montgomery, LeeAnn (Mark) Fuller, Bob Poll, Anita Ferrin, Fran (John) Oliver, Neva (Ross) Wangsgard, Rhea (Bryan) Schade, and Kathy Montgomery, her brother-in-law Jed (Joyce) Grover, many cousins, nieces, and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Don; her parents, three brothers, Harrison, Norman, and Dennis; and three sisters, Jean Wangsgard, Elenore Jones, and Judy Poll.

Utah services will be held Wednesday, December 22, 2021, at 11 a.m. at the Highlands Ward Chapel, 5378 W Old Hwy Rd, Mountain Green. Friends may visit with family on Wednesday from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the church. Interment, Mountain Green Cemetery.

Services will be live-streamed and available by scrolling to the bottom of Charlene’s obituary page at: www.lindquistmortuary.com, where condolences may also be shared.

Memorial Service will be held Saturday, January 8, 2022 at 11 a.m. at the Townsend Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint Chapel, 916 Broadway Street, Townsend MT.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to Canyon Hospice or a charity of your choice.

Special thanks to Rory, Linda and Canyon Hospice.

Services entrusted to Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary.

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