Charles Grosche Sr.

Published 2:12 pm Tuesday, February 8, 2022

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Mr. Charles Lloyd Grosche Sr. passed away Feb. 6, 2022, at his home surrounded by his family. He was 79 years old.

He was born and raised in Bogalusa, and was a graduate of Bogalusa High School. He enlisted with the U.S. Army in 1960, and was a graduate of the U.S. Army Security Agency, where he was stationed at Vint Hill Farms in Warrenton, Va. He was then assigned to Sinop Turkey with a top Crypto Clearance. He was Honorably Discharged as an E5 (SP5) and returned to the Louisiana Army Reserve. Their motto for their service in Turkey was: “Old Spooks and Spies — We weren’t there, we were never there, we don’t exist.”

After returning to civilian life, he was an Engineer with the Canadian National Railroad with 38 years of service.

He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Kathy Smith Grosche; his sister, Dorothy Creel of Mandeville; four daughters, Becky (Randy) Holton of Pearl, Miss., Lisa Sharp (J.P. Calais) of Pensacola Beach, Fla., Pam Byrd of Russellville, Ark., and Amy Smith of Brandon, Miss.; three sons, Charles “Chuck” (Cheryl) Grosche II of Tuscaloosa, Ala., John Sharp of Bogalusa, and Jason (Jenny) Grosche of Knoxville, Tenn.; and 13 grandchildren, Eddie (Lauren) Neese, Nicole (Broderick) Johnson, Brian (Jenny) Holton, Kyle Holton, Scott (Amber) Byrd, Mary (Ashton) Katelyn, Kris (Steven) Membreno, Staff Sergeant Tyler (Nevada) House, Nicholas (Krystal) Beasley, Tabitha Means, Jesse Penson, and Savanna Grosche and Caroline Grosche.

He was preceded in death by his father, George William Grosche Sr.; his mother, Mildred Grosche Rogers (Elbie); brothers, George Grosche Jr. and Walter Grosche (Manzie); sisters, June Bolton and Peggy McKenzie; and a daughter, Krystal Lynn Sharp.

Visitation will be Monday, Feb. 14, from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. at Poole-Ritchie Funeral Home, with service at 11 a.m. in the Funeral Home chapel. Scott Byrd and the Rev. Theodore Newman will be officiating.

Interment will follow at Ponemah Cemetery with full Military Graveside Services by the Magic City American Legion, Post 24.

Active pallbearers will be Tim Thomas, Joey Sharp, Chris Workman, Eddie Neese, Drake Townsend and Ryan Seal. Honorary pallbearers will be Chris Bond, Ellis Sampson, Jewel Brumfield, Larry Mizell, Don Brumfield and Armand Rigaux.

To view and sign the guestbook, visit online at www.pooleritchiefuneralhome.com.