Groom-Radley Family Tree

PLANO - Loma Irelia Groom Harrison, 100, died Sunday, Nov. 26, 2006.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday in Ed Brown and Sons Funeral Home in Borger. Burial will be in Highland Park Cemetery in Borger.

Loma was born in 1906 in Granbury, the daughter of Callie Parker Groom and the Rev. M.S. Groom, who was for 80 years a Baptist minister in Texas.

Education was a guiding principle throughout her life. She graduated from Central High School in Fort Worth, held a bachelor of science degree from West Texas A&M University in Canyon, a master of music degree from North Texas University in Denton and a master of librarianship from the University of Washington in Seattle.

For more than 50 years of her life she was an educator, in both Texas and California, as a teacher, principal, supervisor, librarian and music department director. Her work included 28 years of teaching in the Texas Panhandle, seven years in Pampa public schools, seven years as the first head of the vocal music department of Borger High School, and 14 years as the first head of the music department of Frank Phillips College. After her move to California, she was librarian in secondary schools for 15 years.

She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, Altrusa Club, A.A.U.W., Texas Retired Teachers Association, president of Community Concert Association, president of the Bel Air Chapter of Forest Home Auxiliary and a member of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council.

After living in Simi Valley, Calif., for 25 years, Loma returned to live her retirement years in Amarillo, Fort Worth and Plano.

Survivors include a daughter, Mrs. Jeanie Miller of Crystal Bay, Nev.; her granddaughter, Cynthia Miller Walker of North Bend, Wash.; a grandson, Jeff Miller of Plano; six great-grandchildren, Kali, Katelyn and Kelsey Walker of North Bend and Robert, Hannah and Jake Miller of Plano; three nieces, Sally Groom of Weatherford and Doris Williamson and Dr. Sandra Tracy, both of Farmington, N.M.; and three nephews, Jim Groom Jr. of Warren, Vt., Charles Groom of San Antonio and Richard Wilson of Denver.

Remembrances can be sent to cindy@northbendtheatre.com.

Amarillo Globe-News, Nov. 29, 2006