Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Piano Tuner-Technicians Forum Jer Groot

So sorry to hear this. His willingness to share tips of the trade, and his sense of humor will be missed.

One of the nicest people here - always ready to help others and a fellow technician that gained my utmost respect. May he rest in peace. So sad to learn of his passing and hope that the huge funny posts that bear his name in the title continue as a means to not only remenber him but to give him continued humour in his new life. Goodbye Jer, it was good to know you my friend.

I still remember him mentioning (on which thread I can't recall) that he would see notes that his grandfather had written inside pianos which said, "Hey Jer," so that they would be seen by him when he tuned for that customer years later. You don't often see three generations of experience like that anymore!
How about this customer comment on his web site:

Jun 5, 2012
"Jerry and his dad have been servicing our pianos for around 60 years now. Our pianos always sound so good when they are finished! Thank you so much for your great work!!!"


Thanks, Jerry Groot for the thoughts and the memories! Now, I am sure you are enjoying seeing all of them again. Our loss, your blessing.

He was one of the folks I hoped to meet in the future. I bet his life was surrounded with love and smiles - a great way to live!

Forrest

Very sorry to hear this, he will be missed.

Jean

I suspected something was not right the last communiqué I had with Jerry. He had not been feeling 100% for some time. Then recently I did not see him around here for a while and began to wonder…...

Commiserations to immediate family, extended family members, friends and associates. Such a significant loss to the wife and children.

Let us all endure the sadness of loss but rejoice together knowing the suffering for Jerry has ended.

We each owe a death — there are no exceptions. Time takes it all, whether you want it to or not. Time takes it all, bears it away, and in the end there is only darkness. Sometimes we find others in that darkness, and sometimes we lose them there again.

I often think about all of us, walking our own journey, alone but together, each in our own time.

That is so sad.. Jer and I were good friends.. and he was my Mentor in this biz.

Jer was a very kind and thoughtful person and willing to give the shirt off his back. He and I went to the PTG convention in KC,Mo two years ago. What a guy... We spent hours together playing BF2 and talking Piano stuff almost every night for the last 5 years.

God Bless You Jer, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family, Co, Jer Jr. , and Joe.

Scott

RIP Jerry, you will be missed by all who knew you. "..what dreams may come, when we have shuffled off this mortal coil..." Hamlet

I'm not sure if sadness or anger is my primary emotion. Either way, it is all part of grief. Jerry was only 56 years old.

Many of you will remember that Jerry had gallbladder surgery in mid-January. Even with a month of recuperation, Jer had not strengthened as expected. Finally, on 2/21/13, he was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. He and Cozette were given the choice of treatment or following a natural course of events.

Jerry underwent two courses of chemotherapy at Cancer Treatment Centers of America in Zion, IL. On 3/21/13, Jerry decided to go on Hospice, rather than continue with treatment.

He was surrounded with the love of his family and friends in his final days. He and Co had sponsored a number of exchange students and one of their exchange daughters flew from Hong Kong for a final visit. Such was the love which surrounded our dear friend.

Think of Jerry with a smile as you remember his delightful humor. Jerry always loved a "good one" and was the author of many.

With joyous memory,

So sorry to hear this.

I think Jerry holds the record for pictures posted on the forums.

I get an email whenever someone uses our picture posting feature. I'd see a list of pictures
posted by Jerry and know he was up to something again.

He was a character all right, but in the best sense of the word.

RIP Jerry, you will be missed.

I am absolutely shocked. Jerry was something of a true friend - I met him here online first and a few months later in his home town. We talked, and exchanged ideas in emails, PMs and on the phone. I am at a loss for words to hear he no longer with us. I for one will miss him and his humor and his humanity. My sincere condolences to his entire family.

I'm also shocked. I appreciated his postings and also he shared a computer program with me.

I wonder -- is there a way to make sure his family could read the outpouring of responses that are appearing here and on the main forum?

I will provide a link for Jerry's friends and family so that the tributes here, and in Piano Forum, can be read.

My condolences to Jerry's family and friends. I only knew him from his posts here, and from that little I thought he seemed like the kind of person you'd enjoy meeting in person.

Only 56 - how very very sad.

No no no!
Jerry was a MASTER at making people laugh! A true MASTER! I feel like this dog who just lost his best friend! It'll be so lonely around here without you my friend! Thank you for brightening my day with laugher. I will never forget it ...or you! I'm going to miss you Jerry!

Jerry was a great guy and correspondent - we had many excellent conversions via PMs. A most valuable member of PW. He most certainly will be missed.

However, let's make some lemonade here - colorectal cancers are the number 1 killer of cancers in the USA, and all of the tests except for colonoscopies are worthless. If you're 50 or older, demand your family practice doctor set you up with an exam. You want to catch it before it metastasizes. Once it does, it's over. The cure rate is zero for this type of cancer.

Very sorry to hear the news. Condolences to family and friends. I have been informed and entertained by his posts to PianoWorld, and in emails we have traded.

I'm very sorry to hear of his passing. Some of us teased him a lot, but it was because we couldn't wait to hear what kind of a pun he would hurl as a good-natured come-back.

He will be missed.

I did not know Jerry had this type of cancer.

To echo John' v.d. Brook's advice, please get a colonoscopy if you are due for one. In my family, my mom had one done after 50, and they found several polyps. They were not cancer and were removed. However, if she had not had them removed, they most likely would have turned into cancer. 2 of her uncles died from this disease. She passed away from copd.

I had my first one done 5 years ago, mid 50's. They found 2 polyps, not cancerous, but in their words, "suspicious". Their recommendation was to have a colonoscopy every 5 years, not the usual 10.

Jerry had pancreatic cancer, not colorectal.