Wallace W. DeGroot was born in Norway, Michigan, on July 7, 1930, and earned his pilot’s license at the age of 16. A Korean War Veteran, he served in the U.S. Air Force from 1948 to 1957, earning the rank of Technical Sergeant.
Wally and his beloved wife of 70 years, Nettie Elizabeth, met in 1954 while they were both serving at Hamilton Air Force Base in northern California. Wally was a self-employed Syracuse, New York, business owner from 1958 to 1977 and a commercial pilot until his retirement in 2000.
Wally passed away in early 2025 at the age of 94. His survivors include eleven children and many cherished grandchildren and great-grandchildren.