About Steve
Steve was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many. He was a trusted teacher of the Bible and leader for facilitating ministry in several countries. From humble beginnings in New York, he had the opportunity to play trumpet with various bands, including the Spinners, Macy’s parade marching bands, and the Army band. Steve also spent his time traveling the world and opening countries with CEF for ministry and enjoying life with his family.
Early Years
Stephan James Groome was born in Rockville Centre, New York, on September 12th, 1947. He was born to Cyril and Edyth Groome, following his brother Richard. Cyril was a veteran of WWII, and Steve’s parents were children of immigrants from England and Sweden. At the young age of seven, Steve began learning to play the trumpet, and his potential was apparent to his teachers and those he played with.
Steve attended Freeport High School in Freeport, Long Island, where he was in the marching band, including marching and playing in the Macy’s Day Parade. Steve graduated high school and continued his studies at Butler University, focusing on Music, playing in the jazz band and the orchestra.
Army Life
During his time at Butler, he decided to enlist in the Army, serving for three years in the Army band. Participating in parades and the honor guard during the Vietnam Era, Steve was the First Chair, Trumpet, for the Army band. He was honorably discharged in 1971.
In this time period, he met the love of his life, Kris, when a friend of hers from nursing school set them up. They went out on two dates before she moved to Denver to continue nursing, but eight months of letters kept them close at heart while they were apart. Kris went out to visit Steve on a visit to his parent’s house, and he proposed. They were married in Chillicothe, IL, at the First Baptist Church at 7 pm on August 7th, 1971.
Newlywed Adventures
Now married, Steve returned to Indianapolis, IN, and Butler to continue his studies. While in school, he started a rock and roll band with some of his fellow musicians from the Army band, ultimately leaving to experience life on the road as a band. Settling in Chicago, Steve got a job with Allen Manufacturing and continued being a studio musician, playing weekend gigs with big bands in the city. Among some of the bands included jazz and funk music, including stage performances with bands like the Spinners.
Settling Down
While in Chicago, Steve and Kris were blessed with a baby girl named Heather, and Steve began one of the greatest joys of his life: being her Dad. From Chicago, they moved to New York and Connecticut, ultimately settling back in Indianapolis after he worked as a Packaging Supervisor for a couple of years. While living in Indy, Steve and Kris met Phil and Margaret Johnston, who would be instrumental in changing the course of Steve’s Life.
During this period, Steve worked at various jobs and stayed at home with Heather while she was young. One of the highlights of this time, while Kris was working nights at the hospital, was Steve and Heather getting dressed up and having candlelight dinners. Steve was ahead of his time on Daddy-Daughter dates. He would also take Heather to the park or over to Butler’s duck pond, enjoying silly songs and laughing play. It was in this time that Steve, Kris, and Heather began going to Faith Church. Their family verse of Ecclesiastes 4:12 speaks to the strength of the three-fold chord, and their family was a testament to that.
Transformation
While attending Faith Church and growing relationships with the Johnstons and other friends, their pastor, John Crocker, preached on not having to be perfect to receive Christ. While Steve had always gone to church, he had never known the Lord’s salvation as his own. Steve had always thought that if you were going to receive Christ, you had to be perfect. The Lord used John’s message to speak to the core of Steve and his drive for purpose. Steve accepted Christ as his Savior and began being discipled in the homegroup they attended from Faith. During this time, Kris and Steve opened their house to various people who needed a place to stay. One of the more impactful series of people they hosted were a series of pregnant teenagers who needed foster care and a loving home to stay in until they gave birth.
Call to Missions
During this time, Steve and Kris were attending a mission conference at Faith, where Nate Irwin spoke on a Sunday night about how the people of our world need Jesus, or they will end up in eternal peril. During this message, an inquiry of those who might be interested in missions was made. Independently of each other’s decision, Steve and Kris both stood up to find out more. They were surprised to see the other person step forward, but excited about what that might mean for their future.
Not long after, the head of missions for the E-Free Church stayed at their home and talked to Steve about what he would need to pursue a career in missions. Steve would return to Butler to finish his degree in music and then look for a place to attend a Bible school. Again God used people staying with Steve and Kris to lead them where He wanted. The Dean of the Divinity School at Trinity College stayed with them, and Steve would soon go there to get the rest of the schooling he needed.
While their worlds were changing, Steve began to teach fifth and sixth-grade Sunday school at Faith. His joy for the kids and the impact of what they were learning about God was a watershed experience for Steve. He and Kris attended the Urbana Missions Conference in Illinois and were introduced to a ministry called Child Evangelism Fellowship. CEF would become the future of what God had in store for Steve, Kris, and Heather.
London and Switzerland
Following this introduction, Steve underwent training from CEF at their Children’s Ministry Insititute in Warrenton, MO. He also participated in a joint internship for a year with CEF and Faith Church, working with the church and local Indianapolis CEF clubs. It was during this time that Bob and Betty Tansey invited Steve and Kris over to meet Sam Dougherty, CEF’s European Missions Director, who encouraged them to pray about going to London to do ministry for CEF. Faith sent them over to London on a trial basis, and Steve and Kris were accepted. They then moved to Kilchzimmer, Switzerland, to take European CEF training.
Soon after, Steve began meeting pastors and training teachers, hosting 5 Day Clubs, and Good News Clubs around North London. They worked in London for ten years, developing leaders and teachers and making an impact on kids in their area. Ultimately, they recruited Steve and Rachel Ball to take over for them and continue the work they began. In looking for a new place to minister, CEF gave them the option of working in Papua New Guinea or the Caribbean. They soon moved to Florida and began teaching and training people in 26 countries.
The Americas and the Caribbean
With continuous travel to English, Dutch, and French-speaking countries in the Caribbean and South America, Steve and Kris worked in Brazil, Belize, Guyana, French Guyana, and Suriname, as well as many island countries. It was at this time that Steve was asked to be the Regional Director of North America and the Caribbean for CEF. The focus of his task was to pursue 12 countries that had never had any experience of CEF in the region. Under Steve’s leadership, each of those unreached countries had lay committees developed, training, volunteers cultivated to lead clubs, and a national leader put in place to direct the ministry for each country.
While working in various countries, Steve and Kris moved from Florida to Chillicothe, IL, and entered the next stage of life. It was at this time that their daughter Heather was married to Joshua Weir, and they welcomed him to their family. Steve also began working with ministry partners, Myron and Nita Tschetter, furthering the impact in the previously unreached countries that had been opened to CEF. Steve also started his transition to retirement, which he completed in 2012, having Myron take over for him as Regional Director.
Retirement and Beyond
In retirement, Steve and Kris were promoted to Grandpa and Grandma, welcoming their grand-daughter Audra into the world. Steve immediately connected with her, recalling the joys of fatherhood with his little girl, and now with his little girl’s little girl. Another highlight of this time was a retirement party at Faith Church in Indianapolis, where Steve and Kris were welcomed and surrounded by friends, supporters, and family in celebration of all God had done through them in their time as missionaries. Leading up to the event, Steve talked about his excitement in going home, and a grand homecoming it was.
After an extended battle with Alzheimer’s, Steve and Kris and Kris’s sister Cindy, moved to Bozeman to be closer to Heather, Josh, and Audra. Steve was happy to have his family close by, and lots of extra time with Heather and Audra.
Stephan J. Groome passed away on August 30, 2020, in Bozeman, MT. He is survived by his wife Kris, his daughter Heather, & his granddaughter Audra. His life was marked by the joy and love of family, friends, and a Savior who he dedicated his life to. He was a quiet and compassionate man, full of wisdom, that brought out the best in people, care, that impacted people, and silliness, that made you laugh out loud. He was loved, and he will be missed; although we know, he is with his Redeemer, and alive in the joy of his presence.
