ESTES PARK, Colo. — Jay Grooters created stained glass art in Estes Park for nearly 50 years until his wife Fran was diagnosed with ALS, and then his passion became caring for her.
"We had a really good life together,” said Jay, 77. “She's a wonderful person. She was very outgoing and the kind of person that connected with everybody.”
Jay and Fran Grooters lived in Estes Park for decades. They both liked the mountains. Hiking was Fran's passion, and she hiked all the trails in Rocky Mountain National Park. Stained glass was Jay's passion. He made windows for churches around the Estes Park area.
"I look at these now, and I think, how did I ever do these?" Jay said. "A lot of people are actually touched by the glass."
After Fran’s diagnosis, the couple moved from their home to Good Samaritan Society’s Estes Park Village, a retirement community. In May, Fran was called to be with God.
"Words can hardly express what it's like, sitting there, watching somebody pass away in front of you,” Jay said. “You know you're never going to see them again.”
What he couldn’t express in words, he expressed in art by making something special -- stained glass inspired by a card he gave Fran more than 20 years ago. It depicts images of a smiling, happy lion.
"The front of it says, ‘I love you,’ and then I open up and he says, 'something fierce,' " Jay said. "It says, ‘All my love to Fran. Happy Valentine's Day and Birthday. Love, Jay.’ "
Fran gave it back to him the next year, and they passed it back and forth every Feb. 14.
"Probably 20 years or more," Jay said.
After Fran passed, Jay gave it back to her one final time through stained glass.
Colorado stained glass artist creates unique tribute
"It would mean a lot to her,” he said. “She'd love it."
The finished work joined other stained glass hanging outside the room he shared with Fran at the Good Samaritan Society. He called it a work of love that's more important to him than the 50 years of work combined.
"The others are a lot of fun and mean different things, but this one has a lot of special meaning to it," he said.
Passion, healing pain, through the bonds of panes of glass.
"Just working on the glass helps," Jay said. "This is sort of a memorial to her. I didn't get it done in time for her to see it."
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He calls it a work of love that's more important to him than the 50 years of work combined.
"The others are a lot of fun and mean different things, but this one has a lot of special meaning to it," Jay said.
Passion healing pain through the bonds of panes of glass.
"Just working on the glass helps," Jay said. "This is sort of a memorial to her. I didn't get it done in time for her to see it."