More detail on this person: Grooms, John
Payne, 71, of Charles City, VA, formerly of
Chicago, IL transitioned this life and returned to
God in eternal rest on December 17, 2012. Born on
December 13, 1941 in Columbia, SC to the late
Sidney and the late Evelyn Grooms, John was the
youngest of 14 children. His father, Sidney, made
news as one of the first Black farmers to own a
tractor in South Carolina, and before moving to
Virginia, he donated land for the building of a
Church. John graduated from Boston Technical High
School in 1957 and later attended Virginia Union
University. After being drafted into the US
military, John graduated from officers candidate
school, becoming an Army helicopter pilot and
serving during the Vietnam War. After moving to
Chicago with his wife, John joined the board of
the south Shore Commission and helped to found a
community newspaper, the South Shire Scene.
John later became a police officer and retired
from the Chicago Police Department in 2004. John
was preceded in death by his parents, Sidney and
Evelyn Grooms; two paternal half siblings; six
brothers, Odell (Irene) Grooms, Chester (Dorothy)
Grooms, Richard (Willie Mae) Grooms, Joseph
Grooms, Sidney(Ruthie) Grooms, Jr., Thomas
(Beatrice) Grooms, Ida Grooms, Thelma (Willie)
Moss, and Elizabeth (Rudolph) Graham. John is
survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Linda
Grooms; three children John (Victoria) Grooms,
Jr., Allisha (Grooms) Love, Christopher Grooms,
two grandchildren, Ashleigh Grooms, Jonathan
Grooms; one brother, Marion (Lilly) Grooms; two
sisters, Mattie (Jim) Hughes, Hattie(William)
Beasley, several nieces, nephews, cousins,
friends, and loved ones. Services will be held at
11 AM in the Chapel of J. Leroy Charity Funeral
Home, 5130 John Tyler Memorial Highway, Charles
City, Virginia 23030. Interment will be at Maury
Cemetery, 2700 Maury Street, Richmond, VA
23220. The Grooms family thanks all of those who
have extended their sympathy, love and support.
Published in Chicago Tribune on December 22,
2012
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
Please send additions or corrections to: HQ@vhpa.org VHPA Headquarters
Return to the Helicopter Pilot DAT name list
Return to VHPA web site
Date posted on this site: 07/12/2023
Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association