Gwen (Groome) Masters

Mrs. Gwendolyn Groome Masters passed away May 12, 2026.

Funeral service will be held Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 2:00pm at Rehobeth Church with burial to follow in the church cemetery.

Gwendolyn Groome Masters was born to Robert Edwin Groome and Mary Osborne Groome at their home on Groometown Road in Greensboro, on March 25, 1929. Her family later moved to Danville and Richmond, VA, and El Reno and Enid, OK before returning to Greensboro. Gwen had fond memories from her time in Oklahoma, especially of her participation in the all girl Drum Bugle Corps. Gwen graduated from Sumner High School in 1947 and Lees-McRae College in1949. She met the love of her life, Don Masters, while in college. They were married the spring after graduation in her parents home, which they later purchased. They settled into the Sumner community to raise their family and remained there throughout their married life of almost 75 years.

Gwen’s first job out of college was transcribing medical records for the Polio Hospital. When the hospital closed, she began working for Dr. Frank Brown, and later for Dr. Arthur Freedman. She found work in the medical field very rewarding. Her last and longest position as a medical assistant was with Dr. James C. Bruce, whom she greatly respected.

Gwen and Don were members of Rehobeth Church for over 70 years. They loved singing in the choir and treasured the caring fellowship of their Sunday School classes. Gwen cherished the lifelong friends she made while serving with the Methodist Women’s group. She also enjoyed the Primetimers group, working with the Equal Exchange program and serving in the Stephen Ministry. Gwen was an accomplished knitter who loved to share her skills and was delighted when others joined her in the prayer shawl ministry. She and Don participated in many mission trips to Mexico. They made wonderful memories and a lot friends from their time there. Gwen was an Auxiliary member of Gideons International and was proud of her work with the women’s jail ministry. Her friends will tell you that she was always willing to pitch in wherever needed and had a strong spiritual belief she liked to share with others.

Gwen and Don also enjoyed playing Bridge and were in a couples group that lasted 50 years. Other lifelong friends were from Gwen’s high school class which celebrated their 75th and 76th class reunions with her at Camden. And since Lees-McRae is where Gwen and Don’s life together began, the college and the people they met there were always special to them. They spent many Alumni weeks in Banner Elk catching up with old classmates and working the Alumni Arts and Crafts Show to aid scholarships.

Don’s enthusiastic garden skills kept Gwen busy canning and freezing through the years. Many of her friends and all of her family were fortunate to enjoy her pickles, preserves, tomatoes, and most of all, green beans. She enjoyed feeding others, whether it was for a church event, a neighbor in need, or to cheer someone up, Gwen had it covered. Her sour dough bread became a ministry in itself for many years.

Gwen was a loving and supportive wife and mother and was kind and cheerful to everyone she met. She was proceeded in death by her devoted husband, Donald (Don) Eugene Masters. She is survived and will be greatly missed by her daughter, Mary Joyce Masters Marks; son, Eric Masters (Vicki Kimberlin Masters); daughter, Gretchen Masters Baugh (Bibb Baugh); and grandchildren, Erika Masters (Jason Lynam), Ben Masters (Emily Walter Masters), Stephen Marks, Matthew Marks, Trevor Baugh (Katy Jones Baugh), and Genna Baugh Hardgrove (Brad Hardgrove); step-grandson, Brandon Fisher (Stacy Donaldson Fisher) along with six great grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother, Ken Groome and wife, Pat. Her deceased siblings include Martha Weber (Warren Weber), Gilbert Groome and Robert “Bob” Ham. Her living in-laws include Clara Peterson (Gene Peterson, deceased), Issadore Masters (Cecile Masters, deceased), Grace Breese (Art Breese, deceased), and Bill Masters (Joyce Masters); deceased in-laws include Madge Schooner, Mary Jane Archer (Glen Archer), Alma Kallam (Obie Kallam), and Ken Masters.

Her family is thankful for the kind and loving care she received from Camden Health and Rehabilitation and the respect the staff showed her throughout her four years there. We would also like to thank AuthoraCare Collective Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro for their gentle and loving support over the last year and a half.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Rehobeth Church, AuthoraCare Collective Hospice and Palliative Care of Greensboro, Gideons International or Lees-McRae Alumni Association.

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