Dolores (Dee) Cecilia (Jestrabek) Grove, arrived in Heaven, March 9, 2025 at her daughters home where she was living for her last 2 1/2 years, needing full time care. She went very peacefully, with a few days notice & well aware, gazing at her two children while they were holding her beautiful, gifted, heartfelt, creative, giving hands as Jesus took her into His Arms, late afternoon on Sunday.
Dolores C Jestrabek was born February 4, 1938, in Ontario OR, to Rudolph & Catherine (Engelbert) Jestrabek. She grew up the oldest with her two younger sisters, Lorraine Jestrabek and Bernadette Jestrabek-Hart. She also enjoyed a lot of time with her Engelbert cousins in Caldwell & Eagle, ID area on farms, working with her father driving teams, tractors, farm trucks and tending to the animals. She learned to sew, knit and crochet, making many clothes and gifts and enjoyed friends, cars and motorcycles. She attended public and Catholic schools and graduated in 1956 from St. Teresa’s Academy, Boise, ID, and enjoyed her 30th year reunion in 1986. She attended the Catholic Church.
Dolores met him on roller skates, was married at 19, January 18, 1958 to George Pech, (enlisted, Air Force Mtn Home ID) in Boise, ID. Had their first child, Debbie in Boise 3/20/1959. They moved to the Denver CO area, July 1959, and had two more children, Dan 11/25/1960 & Jim 5/8/1962. She was a homemaker, sewed & knitted clothes along with teaching others as a 4-H Home-EC leader. In 1964, she started work at a bank as keypunch operator at night for many years.
In 1967, 68 & 69 she was Stock Car Powder Puff track champion at Colorado National Speedway driving several different cars. She loved the Speed! She passed it down to her Family as well, clear to NASCAR. She welcomed horses and a variety of animals to our family in 1969, doing 4-H, trail riding, and eventually purchasing 10 acres for pasture.
After becoming single in 1975, she met others in Parents without Partners. Enjoying Travels around USA when she met and married Ken Fetters in 1977-79. Rekindled for a short time with Earl Grove, 1980-1981.
She briefly met and married Don Gadbury in 1982, while living in Dacono CO, enjoying lots of common interests. She worked at MaBell AT&T & Nocia, and retired in 1999. They moved to Logan, NM and built a beautiful place from bare land enjoying horses, dogs and boating at Ute Reservoir, along with her quilting and needle work full time and enjoying new quilt groups, with many family adventures being her favorite. Great life together til widowed Sept 15, 2005.
Once again rekindled relationship with Earl Grove 2006. Moved from NM to Council, ID, Summer 2006. Moved to Cambridge, ID 2008. Finally married Earl Grove (retired Navy) 12/29/2008. Moved back to Council 2011 to their home she was in till 2022. Her interests and love for friends had her volunteering at the Council Thrift Shop, a part of TOPS, a few quilting groups, gardening, canning, traveling and visiting family across the USA while sharing her handmade creations with so many! Widowed again when Earl passed 11/03/2017.
Don Upton, Earl’s best friend, helped mom, & then moved in with her in 2019, when he also needed help with physical injury care, which was good company for both. A Heartfelt Faithful Commitment to All, as they are together again.
Her dementia & health declined last several years, now time for her daughter, Deb, to move Mom to Omak 11/2022 to live, after a year of hospital and rehab stays, since personal full time care was needed and appreciated.
Over the next year, 2023, with the help of her family and many of her Council friends, organizing and helping with several Estate Sales over a few months and clearing out her large home and storage container from a lifetime of collecting numerous items with enough fabric, quilting kits and patterns to open her own store, was a community feat. We are grateful for the folks who have loved and supported Dee in all her endeavors. You know who you are. Thank you!
She enjoyed many warm days outside supervising Deb with irrigation & horse chores, good home cooked meals, visiting in person & Facetime video chats with family & friends, church and asking to be Baptized January 2024 after personally receiving Jesus as her LORD & Savior, reading our Bible and Praying every night together.
Respite Care with others in several places was a blessing as Deb traveled with her Photography Business, along with napping, reading, playing games, watching movies and country & gospel music on YouTube, her request was “Play Joey & Rory, please!” to make the best of her situation, when she no longer remembered the sewing and crochet steps. Her strong will, determination, compassionate heart, unique sense of humor and infectious smile touched everyone who met and knew her. She will be missed by all!
The LORD’S PRAYER will always be special, after hearing it from her every night!
Hold her tight, Loved Ones, up there!
Many would confirm… “Dee Lived Her Life Her Way!!!”
Survived by… two children & families, daughter, Debbie Pech/Deb (David, deceased 10/05,) Ritch, Omak WA, grandson Sterling (Charli) Ritch, GGson, Stryker, CDA ID. Son, Jim (Kim) Pech, Mooresville NC, Grandson Josh (Alisha) Pech, GGsons Jayden & Jaxson, Troutman, NC. Granddaughter Kendra (Corbin) Twitchell, GGdaughter Kinsley, GGson Kenneth, Charlotte NC. Son, Dan Pech (Deceased) Gson CJ O’Reilly, Ashville, NC, Gson Robert (Courtney) Monahan, CO. Both Sisters, Lorraine Jestrabek Boise ID Bernadette Jestrabek-Hart ScottsValley CA. First Husband, Children’s Father, George (Barb) Pech Thornton CO. Several bonus/step children, Grandchildren, Great & Great Great Grandchildren, and several Cousins, a far & close by along with many Dear friends.
Preceded in Death… both parents and all grandparents, most aunts and uncles and few cousins. Son, Dan Pech (deceased) 11/16/10 Last three husbands and a few dear friends.
A Celebration of Life /Memorial will be held in Dee’s honor, Saturday, April 26, 2025, 11:00 a.m., at Council Community Church, 105 California Ave, Council ID 83612 (208) 253-6047 with a delicious lunch to follow from the gracious help of her friends. Come celebrate with us, a life well lived while sharing so much with others. Her service will be streamed live on Council Community Church Facebook Page and will be able to be seen up to a month after. Good for long distance observation. Her ashes will be joining her parents and last two husbands in Dry Creek Cemetery, Boise ID.
Her fun loving spirited soul is safe in His care.
In lieu of flowers, Dee and her family would be grateful if you shared any monetary gifts with her friends & faithful Quilting Ladies Charity who sew and quilt many projects for needy families, and homeless. Send donations to: In Memory of Dee Grove, C/O VLBatman Project, PO Box 94 Indian Valley, ID 83632. Located in the original Mercantile Building in Indian Valley ID.
Music.. Joey & Rory Feek, I’ll Fly Away.., Old Rugged Cross
The LORD’S PRAYER.
