I nominate my father, L. Denby Groves, Sr. (deceased) for an award in the category of Pioneer because he made an exceptional contribution to his family and the building of this country in the area of seafaring during the period 1957 to 1966. Denby and his two siblings had been raised by their single mother, who had been left to raise 3 children under the age of 5 when her husband was killed at sea in WWII. Of course, in those circumstances their lives were very difficult. In order to help his mother, Denby applied for a job on a ship immediately upon turning 18 years old in April 1957. His very first job was that of Oiler on the vessel, SS Ulysses, starting in June 1957. That trip was very long, lasting almost 2 years, until April 1959, and very difficult for a young man who had never previously left his home. But it allowed him to earn enough money to support his mother and younger sister, as well as start building a home of his own. He returned to sea again in October 1959, this time as a Wiper on the SS William R Tolbert. When he returned home in November 1960 he met his future wife, Joyice Marie Bush and they were married just a few months later. Their first child, Clay, was born in October 1961. Denby continued to return to sea, and made several other lengthy trips on various vessels in the position of either Oiler or Wiper, always sending money home to support his mother, wife and children. In order to gain a promotion and earn a higher income to support his now growing family, Denby sat and passed the engineering exams and thereafter worked as a Junior Engineer from May 1964 to June 1966. Now with 3 children and their home completed, Denby decided to give up the seafaring life. He began a second career in the then fledgling construction industry. He personally worked and supervised the construction of numerous condominium projects on Seven Mile Beach, right up until he was diagnosed with Mesothelioma (caused by exposure to asbestos during the time he spent as a seafarer), which caused his death only 6 months after diagnosis. Seafaring gave life to Denby's family, but Denby gave his life to seafaring.

I nominate my father, L. Denby Groves, Sr. (deceased) for an award in the category of Pioneer because he made an exceptional contribution to his family and the building of this country in the area of seafaring during the period 1957 to 1966. Denby and his two siblings had been raised by their single mother, who had been left to raise 3 children under the age of 5 when her husband was killed at sea in WWII. Of course, in those circumstances their lives were very difficult. In order to help his mother, Denby applied for a job on a ship immediately upon turning 18 years old in April 1957. His very first job was that of Oiler on the vessel, SS Ulysses, starting in June 1957. That trip was very long, lasting almost 2 years, until April 1959, and very difficult for a young man who had never previously left his home. But it allowed him to earn enough money to support his mother and younger sister, as well as start building a home of his own. He returned to sea again in October 1959, this time as a Wiper on the SS William R Tolbert. When he returned home in November 1960 he met his future wife, Joyice Marie Bush and they were married just a few months later. Their first child, Clay, was born in October 1961. Denby continued to return to sea, and made several other lengthy trips on various vessels in the position of either Oiler or Wiper, always sending money home to support his mother, wife and children. In order to gain a promotion and earn a higher income to support his now growing family, Denby sat and passed the engineering exams and thereafter worked as a Junior Engineer from May 1964 to June 1966. Now with 3 children and their home completed, Denby decided to give up the seafaring life. He began a second career in the then fledgling construction industry. He personally worked and supervised the construction of numerous condominium projects on Seven Mile Beach, right up until he was diagnosed with Mesothelioma (caused by exposure to asbestos during the time he spent as a seafarer), which caused his death only 6 months after diagnosis. Seafaring gave life to Denby's family, but Denby gave his life to seafaring.