Patricia (Pat) was born in East Point Georgia to Guy and Yolanda Groover. She attended Headland High School. She then graduated with a bachelor and master degrees in education from Clemson University, followed by an accounting degree from University of North Carolina Charlotte. In spite of her stellar grades in accounting classes, she elected not to pursue a career in accounting and chose to return to education. She taught middle school math in Seneca, SC, Mooresville, NC and Hendersonville, NC.

In addition to her love of children and math, Pat also loved God’s creation and was a NC Master Gardener as well as a Certified Virginia Master Naturalist. Pat was also active in her faith. She was a Stephen Minister and participated in mission trips in rural NC and on hurricane mission relief. She was a volunteer with Meals-on-Wheels and served as treasurer for a local non-profit who supported older foster children. Pat loved hiking and performed trail maintenance on Mountains-To-Sea trail in the Middle Prong Wilderness Area and on the Art Loeb trail Pisgah National Forest.

She met her future husband on her first day of classes during her freshman year at Clemson. They have been soulmates ever since, spending 54 years together creating a beautiful life and family.

Surviving family members include her husband Bill, son Charles, daughter Laura Tinani, son-in-law Mo Tinani, granddaughters Mila and Cora Tinani, and brothers Allen and Phillip Groover.