WYOMING, Ill. — Bebe Jo Groter is accustomed to death.
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Family members of Bob Groter — including from left, wife Bebe Jo, granddaughter Elizabeth Kovalick, daughter Brenda Hopp and grandchildren Mary Jo Groter and John Groter — look at the gravestone that will mark his burial site. Bob Groter was killed just over a year ago in northern Wisconsin when his snowmobile was hit head on by another snowmobiler who was intoxicated and going 57 mph.
The helmet Bob Groter was wearing when he was struck and killed by an intoxicated snowmobile driver sits on a counter at Wyoming Monument Co. in northwestern Illinois. Groter had been snowmobiling in Wisconsin's Northwoods for 45 years but didn't like to ride at night or on weekends. He was killed on a Thursday, just before noon.
Emotions are still raw for Mary Jo Groter, left, and her aunt, Brenda Jo Hopp. They'd like to see safety improvements for those who rent and drive snowmobiles in northern Wisconsin.
Bebe Jo Groter walks through the business office of her late husband, Bob Groter. The couple, who met in high school and were married in 1965, purchased Wyoming Monument Co. in 1988. She and her son now run the business.
Bob Groter rests against his snowmobile on a northern Wisconsin trail. The Wyoming, Ill., man ventured to Vilas County each winter for more than 45 years.
Mary Jo Groter carries the jacket her grandfather, Bob Groter, was wearing when he was killed in a snowmobile crash east of Saint Germain in northern Wisconsin.
Bob Groter was a pillar of his family and community. He not only enjoyed snowmobiling but also horseback riding in Colorado. For more than 50 years he owned and operated starting gates for harness races throughout the Midwest.
A bracelet engraved with the saying, “This is really livin’,” a favorite expression of Bob Groter's, is worn by his daughter, Brenda Jo Hopp.
Family members of Bob Groter, including his wife of 58 years, Bebe Jo, and grandchildren Elizabeth Kovalick and John Groter, reflect on their loss during a gathering at the family business in Wyoming, Ill.
Photos: World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines. This is a photo of Carl Eliason who in 1924 invented the single-rider snowmobile in Sayner.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum
The World Snowmobile Headquarters Museum in Eagle River is home to vintage snowmobiles, gear and modern racing machines.
