Spring Valley's Wilma Groh, Founder of Wil-Mat Project, Dies at 89

Wilma F. Groh, a resident of Spring Valley, passed away on Wednesday, March 7, 2012, due to complications following kidney failure at Promise Hospital in San Diego. She was 89.

She had been a resident at Monterrey Trellis Retirement Community in Spring Valley for the last three years. At age 88, she began the Wil-Mat Project, as a service project. It is a group of people who weave mats, bags, hats and other trinkets by recycling plastic shopping bags and using them as plastic yarn. Even though she was legally blind and had arthritis, Wilma tirelssly cut plastic grocery bags into strips and then crocheted them into sleeping mats for the homeless.

The group distributes the mats to homeless people around San Diego, and donates any proceeds they received in selling their items to homeless charities as well. The group met, and still meets at every Tuesday to process bags, tie together the "plarn" and weave items.

Groh gained national attention for herself and the group when she was named the on January 9, 2012.

"The Cali Comfort and Monterey Trellis family was so sorry to hear about the loss of our dear friend and resident Wilma Groh. When she first came to us to ask to use our Vineyard Room for her new Wil-Mat Project we saw that she was passionate about growing her idea to help as many individuals in need as possible," said Shawn Walchef, co-owner of Cali comfort. "Every week our customers would fill her bin with their discarded plastic bags and when she came in to collect the bags her eyes would light up with appreciation. She was an inspiration to all who met her and we hope that her legacy of helping others will be continued on in the future."

Wilma was born in Cedar Creek Township, near Fairfield, Iowa on March 15, 1922. Her parents were Floyd and Rachel (Helphrey) Speer. She was the oldest of six siblings, followed by Berle A. Speer, Robert A. Speer, Barbara J. (Speer) Jamison, Donald L. Speer and Verna R. (Speer) Shannon.

She graduated high school in Meridian, Idaho.  She was known as a hard-working, family oriented person who gave of herself throughout all of her life. 

Wilma worked for the Greyhound Bus Company in Peoria, Ill., where she met her future husband, Robert W. Groh.  They married on June 12, 1947 in Fairfield, Iowa.  Robert drove a semi-truck for 40 years.  For five of those years, Wilma drove the 18-wheeler with him.  

While residing in What Cheer, Iowa, Wilma was on the planning committee for the Centennial celebration in 1965 that drew a record crowd of 15,000 participants.  Wilma belonged to the Eastern Star and the Women’s Transportation Club while residing in Sioux City Iowa.  She worked at Iowa Beef Packers (IBP) before retiring. 

Following the death of her husband, she moved to El Cajon, Calif. to be near her daughter, Linda Wikstrom.  Wilma joined in La Mesa, CA and was dedicated to service to others. She has received recognition from the UMW at Foothills United Methodist Church for her service to others, and a certificate of recognition from CA Assemblyman Brian Jones for her service to others, and protecting the planet by recycling plastic.

"The Wil-Mat Project gave my mother an activity that she could do in spite of her very low vision and her arthritis, said Wikstrom. "She felt useful and in service to others. It gave her a reason to get up and go every day."

"The project really strikes a chord with people and I intend to continue the project in her name," Wikstrom said. "I miss my mom a great deal, but know that she is with me especially when we are working on the project."

Wikstrom said that the group has been demonstrating how to process the plastic bags to many organizations. On May 20, they will demonstrate at both Foothills and Santee United Methodist churches.

"In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus teaches the disciples who they are when he says, 'You are the salt of the earth' (5:13). In Jesus’ time salt was a key preservative. Wilma Groh was a salt of the earth Christian," said Rev. John Farley, pastor of Foothills. "To her dying day she preserved a deep and authentic faith and lived it out in word and deed; mostly deed. Wilma preserved that part of faith which is accessible to all of us; authentic acts of kindness and compassion for those in need. May her faith and spirit be preserved in us."

Wilma Groh is survived by her daughter Linda and step-daughter Charlene (Groh) Haight; grandchildren: Kristina (Wikstrom) Munoz, Jeremy Wikstrom, Dawn (Salchenberger) Vernon, Ronald Salchenberger, Kimberly Salchenberger; great-grandchildren: Tawnie Munoz, Brandon Munoz, Grace Munoz, Alesha Vernon, Lucas Vernon, Ryan Shepard, Cortney Wright; and siblings: Berle Speer of Boulder, Colo., Barbara (Speer) Jamison of Birmingham, Iowa, Donald Speer of Marion, Iowa, Verna (Speer) Shannon of Lincoln, Neb., 16 nieces and nephews and their children.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Floyd and Rachel; brother, Robert; daughter, Jonnie Kay; and husband, Robert.

A celebration of life memorial will be held on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at Christy-Smith Funeral Home at 1801 Morningside Avenue in Sioux City, Iowa at 2 p.m.  The ashes will be interned in Graceland Cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa. A gathering of friends following the graveside service will be held at Christy-Smith’s reception building.

Memorial donations can be made to the Wil-Mat Project c/o Linda Wikstrom or the Center for the Blind in San Diego. Continuing to give after death, Wilma is a tissue donor.