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Mar 01, 2025

Former Longview principal, Rotary Club founder dies at 95

Snow falls outside the Longview Public Library on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. (Hayley Day, The Daily News) Dave Grocott, a former Longview teacher and principal as well as a founding member of the

Snow falls outside the Longview Public Library on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. (Hayley Day, The Daily News)

Dave Grocott, a former Longview teacher and principal as well as a founding member of the Longview Early Edition Rotary Club, died Feb. 13 at the age of 95.

Grocott was born in Kelso on Oct. 18, 1929. He graduated from R.A. Long High School in 1947 and later graduated from Western Washington State College, now called Western Washington University, with a degree in education.

He married Millie Becker in 1953, and they had four children. He is survived by his wife, sister, three children and son-in-law, as well as several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Dave Grocott poses with his daughter Laura circa 1962.

His son, Jeff Grocott, said he fell into education "by happy accident." After graduating high school, he worked as a teller at a Longview bank until a friend said he should enroll at Western, which was mainly known as a teacher's college, because his experience on the track and football teams at R.A. Long would be attractive to Western's football team.

He was not accepted to the football team, but did join the track team and became a student council leader in his junior and senior years.

Grocott returned to Kelso to teach at Rose Valley from 1951-1952 before enlisting in the Army to serve in the Korean War. He was later honorably discharged and attended Colorado State College of Education at Greely, now called the University of Northern Colorado, where he earned a master's degree in school administration.

Dave Grocott

He became principal of Robert Gray Elementary School in 1957, then later moved to Mint Valley and Northlake elementary schools. He retired in 1982.

"He took what we would call today a very hands on approach with students," Jeff Grocott said. "At Robert Gray, he would ride along the bus routes, getting a sense of the students and their families that he believed helped him understand the strengths and challenges each may have been facing."

Grocott led Boy Scouts of Longview's Troop 514 and was a founding member of the Early Edition Rotary. He was also a live-in custodian, deacon, director and choir member at Longview Community Church.

Rotary Youth Leadership Awards Club leader Gary Devin said Grocott embodied the Rotary's motto of "service above self."

"He could do anything and help anyone," Devin said. "He would help anyone who needed it."

When Grocott was 87, he offered to help maintain Devin's garden. Grocott loved gardening but didn't have space for it after moving from his house to a smaller condo, Devin said. He used the space to grow things like kale and arugula for his wife's salads.

Dave Grocott, right, attends a celebration at the Longview Community Church tree farm September 2022.

Minka Atkinson is a news reporter for The Daily News covering education, health and social services in Cowlitz County.

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Snow falls outside the Longview Public Library on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025. (Hayley Day, The Daily News)

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