James Tyrone Groce, known to family and friends as “Wink,” went home to be with the Lord on August 15, 2024, at his home in Easton, Maryland, at the age of 74. A descendant of the Frederick Douglass family, he was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his grandparents Araminta Broadway and Percy Jacobs, as well as Harry Groce’ and Pearl Bailey-Groce, his brothers Vernon Wayne Jacobs and Lee Hill and his sister Fontella Jacobs.

Wink was born on August 20, 1949, in Easton to the late Emma Virginia Lee Harris and James Henry Groce’ and grew up in Starr, Maryland. He attended Queen Anne’s County High School and was a gifted baseball and basketball player. He played baseball for the Cordova Angels and Astros and remained a lifelong fan of the New York Giants and Atlanta Braves.

Immediately after graduating in June 1967, Wink was drafted into the U.S. Army and served in the Vietnam War with the Big Red One artillery unit of the First Army Brigade, the oldest field unit in the country. He was honorably discharged in 1969 and returned to the Eastern Shore of Maryland. He married Elsie Bailey on February 16, 1979, and was employed at Ward and Components in Cordova for 18 years. He later worked at Wheaton Tubing before joining Konsyl Pharmaceuticals for more than 20 years.

Wink was an avid supporter of youth sports. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he umpired for the Say No To Drugs League at Idlewild Park. Later, he enjoyed attending Pop Warner and his grandson’s high school games. He loved great gospel music, good food and quality family time. He was also the senior advisor to the Bailey-Groce’ Family Foundation Inc. Operation Frederick Douglass on the Hill.

He leaves behind his wife of 45 years, Elsie Bailey Groce’, and his son Tarence (Michelle) Bailey Sr., both of Denton, Maryland, and his daughter Wanda Bailey of Easton, Maryland, to cherish his memory; Grandsons Tarence Bailey Jr. of Denton, Maryland, Daemonitae Bailey of Easton, Maryland, Jerrell Flanigan of Easton, Maryland, and granddaughters Ayana Bailey of Dayton, Ohio, and Cheyenne Bailey of Bradenton, Florida, Terr’a Flanigan of Easton, Maryland, brother Calvin Hill of Easton, Maryland, sisters Wanda Smith (Wayne) of Denton, Maryland, Denese (Milton) Bolden of Federalsburg, Maryland, Letha Mae (Ellis) Jones of Greensboro, Maryland, Valena Williams of Dover, Delaware, Lavena (Jeffery) Mosley of Bridgeville, Delaware, Betty Hunt (Eddy) of Greensboro, Maryland; stepmother Ethel Williams of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Uncle Roger “Mack” Groce’ of Greensboro, Maryland, aunts Aleta Groce’ of Greensboro, Maryland, and Marjorie Potts of Starr, Maryland, two best friends, his cousin Marshall “Marty” Bailey of Easton, Maryland, and Charles Griffin of Easton, Maryland and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins ​​and friends.

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