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Kelly Grothe, an Army soldier and Central Valley High School graduate who died in 2007 in Iraq, will be honored on Memorial Day as part of the Fallen Heroes Circuit Course.

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Latest Fallen Heroes station honors CV grad
4/29/2015 10:18:56 AM

By Craig Howard
Splash Contributor

The phone calls from nearly 7,000 miles away were the highlight of the week for Brian and Jan Grothe.

Each Saturday, their son, Kelly, an Army soldier, would ring in from somewhere in the Middle East, letting his parents know he was OK. Kelly had enlisted in the Army Reserve in 2003 while still a student at Central Valley High School and, four years later, his travels had taken him to the heart of Iraq.  

"We really looked forward to those Saturday calls," Jan recalls. 

At the time, the section of Iraq known as Ramadi was one of the war's highest casualty zones. Grothe was serving there with the Bravo Company 321st Engineers, an Army Reserve unit out of Hayden. 

"It was definitely not a good place to be," Jan recalls. "You could hear it in Kelly's voice when we talked on the phone."

Grothe, who graduated from CV in 2004, had been commissioned in Iraq since September 2006. His job in Ramadi involved route clearance, combing the area for explosive devices so vehicles and personnel could pass safely. On May 3, 2007, Grothe and Sgt. Coby Schwab were on a route-clearing mission when an American truck ahead of them was hit by an explosive device, injuring five soldiers. When Grothe and Schwab stopped to help, both were hit and killed by another bomb. 

Kelly Grothe was 21 years old. 

"He was always looking out for someone else his whole life," said Jan. "The military was his opportunity to do the same, to take care and protect. He was a very giving person."

Grothe will be recognized this Memorial Day as the latest honoree in the Fallen Heroes Circuit Course, a project launched in 2013 by former Marine and Liberty Lake resident Bob Wiese. The May 25 ceremony will begin at 4 p.m. on the first fairway of Trailhead Golf Course, parallel to the Fallen Heroes station on the nearby trail. The CVHS marching band will be on hand for the event.  

"Cpl. Grothe was chosen for many reasons," Wiese said. "He grew up locally here in the Spokane Valley and attended Central Valley High School. Kelly was also killed in action during a selfless act to help his fellow soldiers. The virtues Kelly displayed as a soldier reflected great credit upon himself and the Army and are exactly the type of virtues we want to share with the public. It is our duty to keep the memories of these amazing people alive." 

The first three Fallen Heroes installments - featuring the latest in outdoor exercise equipment - are now part of the terrain at Rocky Hill Park, Pavillion Park and Town Square Park. In addition to the Grothe site, a fifth and final station is now being built at the arboretum next to City Hall. That location will recognize a Coast Guard Fallen Hero and be dedicated sometime this September. When completed, the entire course will cover 5.5 miles. 

The city of Liberty Lake has stepped up to provide most of the funding for the Fallen Heroes project. This year, City Council has set aside $75,000 for the Army and Coast Guard sites. Wiese and his fellow committee members have rallied community support for over $14,000 to cover the signs and plaques at the various stations. They hope to collect another $2,000 to complete all five locations. 

Along with Wiese, the committee includes Amy O'Connell, Kristi Dodson, Tim Homer, Trish Usab, Kathy Whybrew, Jason Spinden and Jason Wills. John Munro was part of the original group before moving out of the area.

"The people on this committee are true selfless professionals," said Wiese. "They've donated so much time to this cause." 

Grothe joins a list of other Fallen Heroes from the area that includes Marine Cpl. Josh Dumaw, Air Force Cpt. Victoria Ann Pickney and Navy Corpsman Greg Vercruysse. Jan Grothe is friends with Dumaw's mother, Jenifer, and attended the ceremony for Josh in September 2013. 

"I appreciate everything those working on this project have done and continue to do to keep the memory alive of those that have served our country and were willing to sacrifice everything for us at home," said Kelly's dad, Brian. "It's an honor to have Kelly recognized on this part of the course, but it also reminds us of all those that gave their lives on our behalf."

Jan said she appreciated the Fallen Heroes project "as a reminder to people of the cost of freedom." 

Kelly Grothe participated in football his freshman year at CV and was part of the track team for all four years. Despite being short of stature, he tackled the hurdles right alongside his taller peers. 

"He liked track because it was a team sport, but you have to work really hard as an individual in order to help the team," Jan said. "It's a tough event, but he just kept working at it. He was pretty driven." 

Kelly grew up in the Spokane Valley area along with his older sister, Shelly, and his younger brother, Aaron. In his spare time, Kelly could be found drawing or helping out in the kitchen. Besides track and football, he enjoyed skateboarding and water sports. 

"He was the type of person who had a handful of close friends," Jan said. "He was very loyal, always there for his friends."

Brian recalls his son stepping up to help in all kinds of situations. When he did, it was with a smile. 

"He had a great sense of humor," Brian said. "He was a good student and well-liked."

Jan said honoring Kelly's memory is one way of dealing with the loss.   

"It's something where you take each day as it comes," she said. "I think the thing that helps us the most is talking about who he was. Our faith tells us that we'll see him again. Otherwise, we wouldn't have any hope." 

• • •

IF YOU GO ...
Fallen Heroes Dedication Ceremony
4 p.m. May 25
Trailhead Golf Course, 1st fairway

Also on Memorial Day: Liberty Lake Centennial Rotary's Pancake Breakfast and Program, 8 to 10 a.m. with 9 a.m. program, Pavillion Park

Want to help?  
Companies or individuals interested in contributing to the final station plaque fund can visit www.llfhcc.org or send a check payable to FHCC, PO Box 247, Liberty Lake, WA 99019.

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