REX GROW

CLASS OF 1929

DECEMBER 25, 1910 - SEPTEMBER 16, 1997 

Rex Grow, 86, Prairie Village, a native of Osawatomie, died Tuesday, Sept. 16, 1997, at Timberlake Health Care Center in Kansas City, Mo.

He was born on Dec. 25, 1910, in Osawatomie, the son of Edward David and Anna Laura Saunders Grow. He attended the Osawatomie schools and graduated from Osawatomie High School with the Class of 1929.

He served during World War II with the United States Air Force. He left Osawatomie after the war and traveled with an evangelist.

Music was his lifelong career. He had encountered many styles of music and played the organ and piano for more than 60 years until he had a stroke several years ago.

He directed the choir and played the organ at the United Methodist Church in Paola in the 1950s.

Mr. Grow accompanied and directed multi-aged choirs, bell choirs, boys' and children's choirs, brass and string ensembles, as well as other musical groups. He was volunteer accompanist for the Performing Arts Department of the Shawnee Mission school district and Indian Hills Junior High for 10 years.

He traveled with evangelistic parties and played for civic service clubs. He was a staff organist for the Kansas Ctiy branch of Baldwin Piano and Organ Co. for 25 years.

Following his retirement in 1975 he served as interim organist choir director for several area churches. He also entertained for convalescent centers, hospitals and senior citizen clubs.

He had made his home in the Kansas City area for many years, but remained a member of the First Presbyterian Church of Osawatomie.

He was married to Sharon Matter in 1963 in Independence, Mo.

Surviving are his wife, Sharon Grow of the home; two daughters, Kimberly Shay of Overland Park and Eileen Glenn of Emporia; a sister, Jeraldine Spencer of San Diego, Calif.; and five grandchildren.

ervices were at 11 a.m. Friday at the Armor Heights Baptist Church and burial was in Mount Moriah Cemetery. Services were under the direction of Mount Moriah and Freeman Funeral Home Chapel.

Memorial may be made to the music program of donor's own church.

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