Groesbeck death stuns community

By Justin Post of The Montana Standard - 12/09/2008

George Groesbeck Jr., above left, is pictured here last summer with Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer. Groesbeck, who died suddenly on Sunday, was a state legislator and noted musician. Photo courtesy of AWARE

The unexpected death of well-known Butte legislator and musician George Groesbeck Jr. stunned the Mining City Monday, leaving friends and family saddened and confused.

Groesbeck, 38, collapsed at home late Sunday afternoon in Butte and was rushed to St. James Healthcare, but could not be revived.

Groesbeck injured his knee in a car accident in Butte last Monday, and had been in the hospital several days for surgery and treatment. He was discharged from the hospital Friday.

Butte-Silver Bow Coroner Lee LaBreche said that, while the precise cause of death isn't known, it's likely Groesbeck died from a blood clot that entered his heart or other major organ. His body was taken to Missoula Monday for an autopsy, LaBreche said.

Groesbeck, who was recently divorced, leaves behind two daughters, Brooklyn, 3, and Sofia, 1. He worked as human resource director for AWARE Inc. in Butte, a nonprofit corporation that runs programs to help the disabled. He had a political science and philosophy degree from Carroll College and a master's degree in technical communication from Montana Tech.

"It was just a shock to know the man of many talents was no longer with us," said longtime friend and fellow Butte legislator, Jon Sesso. "He's the kind of guy who earned the friendship of whomever he touched; he was just magic in that regard." He was a proud father who also enjoyed playing music, golfing and serving Butte in the legislature, Sesso said.

"If there ever was a man who was full of life and lived life with gusto it was my buddy George," he said. "He just was a guy who always saw the glass half full." Andy Board, who first met Groesbeck in 1990 at Carroll See GROESBECK, Page A5 College in Helena where the two were roommates, said he's still coming to grips with a best friend's death.

"I'm still in shock," the 36-year-old Bozeman house painter said in a telephone interview. "He was a great friend to have. I'm going to miss him." A heavy snow blanketed the Mining City early Monday as the jaw-dropping news of Groesbeck's death spread through the community.

Jennifer Grant, a barista at Venus Rising Espresso House where Groesbeck was a regular, said his death is shocking.

"George Groesbeck was an extremely pleasant person to see," she said. "Every time he came in he had something encouraging." From his favorite coffee drink — a triple shot half-caffeinated sugar-free hazelnut soy latte — to his eclectic musical taste and ever-present sense of humor, friends said Groesbeck was unique in so many ways.

Joanne Cortese, who was head of Montana Tech's technical communications department when Groesbeck graduated with his master's degree, said her memories of him will always make her smile.

Cortese recalled students being assigned a research project, and Groesbeck took an untraditional approach toward the homework.

"When students were doing presentations, he sang a song," she laughed. "Instead of this research paper, he wrote a song. He always listened to his own drummer." Cortese also remembers organizing a trip to Missoula with students, but Groesbeck was nowhere to be found as the group loaded into a van.

"We waited as long as we could," she said.

As the students approached Rocker, a "clunker" car passed the van with Groesbeck in the passenger seat waving his arms.

Groesbeck noticed the van leaving Tech and paid a random student $5 to catch up to the vehicle, which stopped along Interstate 90 and allowed him to board.

"That's one of my favorite light stories," she said.

While it was easy for Groesbeck to make people laugh, his death also brought deep feelings of sorrow for many Butte residents.

Glenn Bodish, director of the Butte-Silver Bow Arts Foundation, fought back tears Monday as he recalled his friendship that began with Groesbeck in 1997.

"He's a real brother to me," he said. "I think just everybody in the art community is shocked. He is a guy that just went to bat for us and when a lot of people thought the idea of bringing art to Butte was crazy, he stood up." Groesbeck worked the past nearly four years as director of human resources for AWARE and was an invaluable asset to the Mining City, said AWARE Chief Executive Officer Larry Noonan.

"From Butte's perspective, I can't even begin to imagine the impact this is going to have on Butte," he said.

— Reporter Justin Post may be reached at justin.post@lee.net or by telephone, 496-5572.