Ruth Palmer Mcgroarty

RUTH MCGROARTY In loving memory of Ruth Palmer McGroarty, great-grandmother, grandmother, mother, wife, friend and mentor, a resident of Las Vegas for over 60 years, who passed away in her 97th year Sunday morning, Feb. 8, 2015. She was born in 1918, in Greencastle, Ind., to Lula Etta Burke, a direct descendant of Edmund Burke, and John Thomas Palmer. She married James Michael "Jim" McGroarty (deceased 1989) in 1940 in Beverly Hills, Calif., with the then Monsignor Fulton J. Sheen assisting in the Mass. She worked with Coldwell, Cornwell and Banker for several years and then became a stay at home mom before moving to Las Vegas where she became active in the Las Vegas community. She helped build St. Anne's Catholic grade school in Las Vegas in 1954 and started St. Ann's first PTA as president and was assisted by Mary Barnett, her close friend of over 50 years. Over the years, Ruth and her husband built Crestview Estates, Bel Air, and many other custom homes throughout the Las Vegas valley. She started Construction Control Corporation in1954 which disbursed millions of dollars for banks, owners, and savings and loans in construction projects for over 50 years. She was the second female licensed contractor in southern Nevada and the first female insurance broker in the State of Nevada. She also opened and worked in the sales department at Caesars Palace and then moved to the Landmark Hotel working in the casino junket department. Her charity work was always a part of her life. She believed in the rights of individuals and planted many seeds within the community through her charity work. She had unparalleled strength, deep faith, with a wry and wonderful sense of humor. She saw no obstacles, only opportunities. She was named Mother of the Year in 1979, was a member of the Catholic Daughters since 1984, built her own charity Life Line Pregnancy Assistance project and left her mark on the community as well on the many lives she helped. We celebrate this incredible and loving life with her family, sons, John Steven McGroarty and wife, Nancy, J. Michael McGroarty and wife, Melodye and Patrick Joseph McGroarty; and daughter, Mary McGroarty Thomas; grandchildren, Erina Savage, Brianne Holmes (Victor), Matthew McGroarty, James McGroarty, John McGroarty Jr (Katie) and Meghan McGroarty; and 13 great-grandchildren, all of Las Vegas. Mass will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 19, at St. Frances De Sales 1111 N. Michael Way, Las Vegas, NV 89108. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada or Catholic Daughters, Court Our Lady of the Valley #2118.

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