If you ever met Dorothy Jane Harkleroad Grove, you probably heard a story and left feeling better for the time you spent with her.
It might have been about her travels as an Army wife-marrying her husband, Staff Sergeant James Grove, and moving to Paris, France; learning fashion and interior design in Europe; or the time she convinced an entire table of young Army wives in Germany that everything would be okay-even though they were all thousands of miles from home.
Dorothy passed away peacefully on March 7, 2026, at the age of 83, leaving behind a life measured not in miles traveled, but in the friends and family she gathered along the way.
Born on July 17, 1942, in Scott County, Virginia, Dorothy grew up with a curiosity about the world. That curiosity only grew when she met a young Army sergeant named James. When they married, Dorothy didn’t just marry a man-she married a life of movement, resilience, and adventure.
Over the years, Dorothy became the heart of every place the Army sent them. While James served his country, Dorothy served the community around him. She welcomed new military families arriving at unfamiliar bases, comforted spouses during long deployments, and turned temporary houses into warm homes filled with laughter. She was known for welcoming young single GIs without nearby family-many mentored by her husband-to her table for a Southern-style dinner, especially during the holidays, always complete with her homemade cobblers. She was also very active in the chapel community and taught Sunday School.
Duty stations came and went-the Pentagon; Germany, where they spent nine years; California; Washington State; and Virginia-but Dorothy treated each one as an opportunity to discover something new. She collected recipes from neighbors around the world and loved buying dishes, crystal, and furniture from the cities she explored. Along the way, she formed friendships that lasted a lifetime, long after the moving trucks arrived for the next assignment.
After James retired from the Army, the family finally settled in Jonesborough, Tennessee. Dorothy remained active in her community-supporting the Boy Scouts with her son Bob, participating in church activities, volunteering, and happily sharing her knowledge of interior decorating and flower gardening. She especially enjoyed being close again to family in Tennessee and Virginia, spending time with her brother, sisters, and extended family. Later, she loved attending and fellowshipping with the Salem Methodist widows’ group that met monthly.
But the truth about Dorothy was this: the places she lived mattered far less than the people she loved.
She leaves behind her daughter, Sandy Grove Matheson (Danny); her brother, Gerald Harkleroad (Barbara); and grandchildren who adored their adventurous grandmother-Andrew Matheson (Erin), Aaron Matheson, Sidney Grove, and Chris “C.J.” Black. She is also survived by her daughter-in-law, Lori Black Grove, and many nieces and nephews who loved their “Aunt Jane.”
Dorothy is also remembered by countless friends across the globe who still recall the warmth of her kitchen and the sound of her laughter. Special friends include Marie Taylor, Mary Anne Cook, Carolyn Whitaker, Margaret Fogleman, Crystal Camp, and her favorite beautician, Jennifer Spurlock.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, retired Staff Sergeant James Grove; her son, James Robert Sidney “Bob” Grove; her parents, Ernest and Hettie Fuller Harkleroad; and her sisters, Audrey Baxter and Joyce McMurray.
A Celebration of Life Honoring Dorothy is planned, April 18 @11 am at Salem Methodist Church, 230 Boozy Creek Rd, Blountville, Tennessee. Friends and family are invited to come and share a favorite memory or story about her remarkable life. Donations in Memory of Dorothy can be made to Salem Methodist Church, 230 Boozy Creek Rd, Blountville, TN 37617 or to Alzheimer’s Tennessee 2319 Browns Mill Rd, Suite D6, Johnson City TN 37604.
If Dorothy were writing this herself, she would probably say something simple: life is meant to be explored, people are meant to be loved, and a good story is meant to be shared.
And thanks to Dorothy, many stories are still being told.
