Lewis County Auditor Recovering After Severe Heart Attack Friday Night

Posted

Lewis County Auditor Larry Grove, 69, suffered a significant heart attack at about 9 p.m. on Friday and was transported to Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia.

His wife and neighbors began administering CPR immediately after the attack began, saving his life, according to his daughter, Brittany Unzelman. Though he was in critical condition for much of Friday and Saturday, Grove is reportedly getting better quickly, according to his family, and will be receiving surgery on his heart either Monday or Tuesday.

According to Unzelman, Grove’s doctor knows marathon runners who have received this surgery. The doctor reportedly said Grove’s quality of life would improve significantly after the procedure.

On Monday, Unzelman said her dad was well enough to be transported out of the intensive care unit, but a lack of available bed space was keeping him there. He was scheduled to have physical therapy later in the day. 

“He’s doing so good,” she said. “When I talked to him this morning, he remembered a couple things from yesterday.”

Grove has headed the county auditor’s office since 2014. For 25 years prior, he served as the Lewis County auditor’s chief accountant. 



During his absence, Unzelman said county staff will continue running a “well-oiled machine” and said they have been in contact with Grove’s family throughout the last few days.

Grove is a fourth generation Toledo native and served two tours in the U.S. Navy in Vietnam, according to a Chronicle video interview from his first campaign. After earning a CPA through the state, he worked for the state auditor’s office.

“While auditing Lewis County, (former auditor) Gary Zandell hired me away,” Grove said at the time.

He and his wife Cindy have been married for around 40 years and have three adult children, Brittany, Jessica and Marcus.

Unzelman added thanks to “everyone for their continued prayers and support. We really appreciate all the friends in the community rallying around us. … God’s got this. He (Grove) is going to get what he needs.”