Allen L. Grooters

MASON CITY: Allen L. Grooters, 67, of Mason City, died Friday, November 27, 2015 at the Muse Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit. Memorial services will be held 10:30 AM Wednesday, December 2, 2015 at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue with Pastor Nathan Gann, officiating. Inurnment will take place in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 PM Tuesday at Major Erickson Funeral Home. Memorials may be directed to Hospice of North Iowa.

Allen was born January 13, 1948 in Preston, Minnesota, the son of Perlum and Margie A. (Heusinkveld) Grooters. He graduated from Harmony High School, Harmony, Minnesota and went on to attend and graduated from Central College, Pella, Iowa. Allen began his career with the Iowa Department of Human Services in September of 1970. In December of 1973, he became the youngest county director in the state of Iowa. He would later serve as administrator for the Department of Human Services working for DHS a total of 40 years. He retired January 28, 2010. In retirement, he enjoyed working part-time for Community Action. Allen married Marian A. Russell June 10, 1983 in Pocahontas, Iowa. A few of his interests included his annual fishing trips to Canada, where over the past several years he was able to spend over 8 weeks in Canada, traveling with his wife, Marian, each year to Hawaii, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Minnesota and playing tennis, his favorite hobby other than fishing. Allen was a past board member of United Way of North Iowa and a past recipient of the Bob Dutcher Award.

Allen is survived by his wife, Marian A. Grooters of Mason City; children, Jennifer L. Sorenson (Randy Miller) of Mason City, Robert L. Russell of Rockwell, David A. Grooters (Tracy) of Mason City and Nicole L. Fessler (Cory) of Thornton; grandchildren, Taylor and Olivia Sorenson, Jessica, Trevor, Travis and Tanner Russell, Brianna, Colin and Keira Grooters, Noah Sparks, Makenzie, Kacie and Tyler Fessler; siblings, Richard W. Grooters (Kathy) of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Donald J. Grooters of Canton, Minnesota and Daniel E. Grooters of Hopkins, Minnesota; several nieces and nephews.

Allen was preceded in death by his parents.