William Lester (Bill) Grover

William Lester Grover, 77, of Ithaca passed from this life after an extended illness into the arms of his Savior and Lord Jesus Christ on March 23, 2024 at SUNY Upstate Medical University Hospital in Syracuse.

Born September 14, 1946, Bill was first of the two sons of Lester (Let) M. and Agnes (Aggie or Red) June Grover.  His brother Mallory (Mal) joined the family a few years later.  As was the case with most of the baby boomers of the time, Bill’s elementary school years were spread across many locations, starting out at Cayuga Heights, from there to South Hill, then to the Elm St. Annex, followed by Belle Sherman, and then on to the GIAC Building.  He attended middle school in the present-day DeWitt Building, and thereafter Ithaca High School, graduating in 1964.

Bill went on to take forestry courses for a year at Paul Smith’s College. Then in 1967, during the Vietnam era, Bill volunteered for the draft in the United States Army.  He served until 1969 when honorably discharged.  He returned to the Ithaca area and attended SUNY Morrisville, and Cornell University.  He graduated from Cornell in 1977 with a BS in Natural Resources, and in 1981 with a Masters of Professional Studies degree in Agricultural Education.

Over his adult life, Bill was employed in a variety of positions, from seasonal Park Ranger in the Grand Teton National Park in WY; as salesman for a stationery business in Pocatello, ID; an Educator at the Rogers Environmental Conservation Center in Sherburne, NY; started his own small contracting business; served as the Warehouse Manager at the former Deanco electronics firm in Lansing, NY; and worked until his retirement in 2013 in the Cornell College of Arts & Sciences’ Dean’s Office as Building Manager/Facilities Coordinator for Uris Hall on the Ithaca campus.

During the 1980s, Bill also volunteered for 3 years as Scoutmaster along with his brother Mal as Assistant Scoutmaster, for Varna Boy Scout Troop #45; and he taught a NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Hunter Safety Course in the local community.  And for over a dozen years, Bill volunteered in a variety of roles to support the several sports in which his sons Billy and Michael played:  ice hockey, baseball, lacrosse, soccer, and golf.

Bill is survived by his spouse of 43 years, Deborah; his two sons, William R. (Billy) of Midland, TX, and Michael, Jen and grandson Mason of Aurora, CO; and his brother Mal of Ithaca.

A Celebration of Bill’s life will be held at the Ithaca First Assembly of God Church, 197 Bostwick Rd, Ithaca on Saturday, June 22, 2024. Time to be announced.  Per his wishes, the family asks that any charitable donations in remembrance of Bill be made to the USO (uso.org), or Samaritan’s Purse (samaritanspurse.org), or the Ithaca First Assembly of God Church (ithacafirst.com)

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of William Lester (Bill) Grover, please visit our floral store.