This is a 1929 picture from New Brookland Baptist Church. In 1938, the church was named West Columbia First Baptist Church.

Mrs. Laverne Grooms was the historian for years at First Baptist West Columbia. She died on Easter Sunday of this year at 91 years of age. A lot of the family still lives in Lexington County.

Bill Mooneyhand found this photo in the August 31 1979 tie-binder newsletter from First Baptist Church in West Columbia.

Obituary for Laverne Bozard Grooms

Laverne Bozard Grooms, 91, of West Columbia died peacefully in her home on Sunday, April 12, 2020. For months she prayed that Jesus would turn the page and her name would be on it. Her name appeared on Easter Sunday.

She was born in Calhoun County on July 15, 1928 to the late Edgar William and Jeff Willis Austin Bozard. She was married to Joe Cary Grooms, Sr. until his death in 1983.

Laverne was a fun-loving woman and brought joy and happiness to her family and friends. She was a 1945 graduate of St. Matthews High School. She served many roles in First Baptist Church of West Columbia, but her most cherished was Church Historian and she even set up an archives room in the church with memorabilia she had collected. A history buff she was. She spent months collecting data, photos, maps, plats and deeds to write a genealogy of the William Frank Grooms and Eunie Fields Grooms Family. Mimi, her family name, was the “Quilting Queen.” She stitched by hand over 100 quilts and gave the treasurers to those she loved.

Laverne is survived by her three children, Linda Grooms Davis (Bob), Joe Cary Grooms, Jr. (Sally) and William (Billy) Frank Grooms (Tracy); two sisters, Lois Sikes and Patricia Blume; four grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. She was predeceased in death by her husband; her parents; her three sisters, Wilma Dority, Judy Wilson Peddycord, Barbara Jean Bozard; and a brother Jack Edward Bozard.

Due to the current pandemic, a private graveside service was held at Woodridge Memorial Park. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at a later date.

Laverne requested that all memorials be made to First Baptist Church of West Columbia, 400 State Street, West Columbia, SC 29169.

Thompson Funeral Home of Lexington is assisting the Grooms family