Obituary of Tessie Grogan Atwater

Tessie Grogan Atwater, 97, formerly of Pittsburgh, died Monday, July 20, 2015 at Mount Nittany Medical Center, State College. Born April 13, 1918 in Marietta, GA, she was the fourth child of six children to the late Eugene and Mazie Loyal Grogan. She married Samuel Atwater, moved to Pittsburgh and had four children. She is survived by a daughter, Deborah F. Atwater, of State College. She was preceded in death by her husband, three sons, Stanley Charles, Samuel Grogan, Eugene, and sisters Elnora Shaw, Laura Jackson, and brother, Lloyd Douglas Grogan. She received her formal education in the Marietta School system. She graduated from Marietta Industrial High School in 1937 where she played on the basketball team. At an early age, Tessie found Christ and joined Cole Street Baptist Church in Marietta where she was active in Sunday school, Baptist Training Union and the Choir. Later in life she became a long-time member of the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Baptist Church, where she was the first President of the Willing Workers Club and was a member of the Anna M. Burke Missionary Circle since its inception. Tessie ministered to the sick and shut- in in the community and visited nursing homes into her late seventies. Mrs. Tessie Atwater was a dedicated wife, mother, homemaker, and friend to people of all ages. For a while, she was an Avon Representative where she became a frequent member of the President’s Club of Avon products an honor given to those representatives with outstanding sales records. She leaves to cherish her memories, her daughter, her grandchildren, Dominic and Eugene, sisters, Frances Mahan, Virginia Williams and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. A memorial service is planned at a future date in Pittsburgh. A graveside service will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 25, 2015 at Mount Lebanon Cemetery, 509 Washington Road, Pittsburgh. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to N.E.E.D.: Samuel and Tessie Atwater Scholarship Fund, The Law and Finance Building, 429 Fourth Avenue, Suite 2000, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Arrangements are under the care of Koch Funeral Home, State College. Online condolences and signing of the guest book may be entered at www.kochfuneralhome.com or visit us on Facebook.