David "Dave" Robert Grover, of Ocean City, Maryland, passed away on August 7, 2026, following a courageous 4.5-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
Harle Burton Grover, MD, and Margaret Sterzen Grover, RN, welcomed Dave into this world on November 22, 1962, in Fairfield (Green Valley), California. Dave was the second of three children. He was a 1980 graduate of St. Patrick's Catholic High School in Vallejo, California. He was an all-around great athlete and was a member of his high-school football and wrestling teams. Outside school he also excelled at water and snow skiing, tennis and body building. Dave also loved cooking as a youth and made it into the local newspaper highlighting some of the favorite recipes he would often prepare for the family. Dave loved family boating trips to Lake Shasta and the Delta in California. His love of boating extended to his life in Ocean City, Maryland, where he enjoyed going out on his 19 ft StarCraft boat all the way up until this July.
As Dave wanted to continue his Christian Brothers education from high school, he attended Lewis University (Joliet, Illinois) and graduated with a Bachelor's degree in political science. He also completed a Master's degree in political science from Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois).
In his younger days, Dave traveled with the Grateful Dead as a roadie, but all fun youthful adventures must someday end and thereafter, he moved to Washington D.C. where he began working at The Smithsonian Institution. As he also had worked during his high school years at his father's orthopedic practice, he made a move as an opportunity arose at the Medical Faculty Associates of The George Washington University where he became the manager for the Department of Surgery.
He also worked as an office manager for orthopedic practices in the Washington DC area. In 2008/09 when his parents both suddenly passed away, Dave decided it was time to pursue more personal interests as he realized how short life is. He had taken a strong interest over the years in the world of cigars and the community of cigar aficionados, and he found a perfect position for himself as the general manager of the W. Curtis Draper Tobacconist Cigar Shop (Bethesda, Maryland).
Dave had many good friends that he maintained over the years. Dave was a gregarious person, yet he also loved his time alone watching sports on TV. He was a life-long San Francisco 49ers fan and Philadelphia Eagles fan, the latter going back to his mother's large family roots in the Philadelphia area. He was a big softie at heart but often he disguised this innate quality with his great sarcastic dry wit that made people laugh and feel at ease. Dave never lost his love for The Grateful Dead over the years and their t-shirts were a mainstay of his wardrobe. He was a devoted follower and member of the Deadhead community. Even during his battle with cancer, he persevered to attend Dead & Company shows in 2024 and 2025 at The Sphere in Las Vegas with family and friends. It wasn't easy but he did it. His first show was in Chicago in 1981 and the last was when he returned home to the San Francisco area in August 2025 and attended with his sister and brother-in law the final live public performances celebrating the Grateful Dead's legacy when Dead & Company hosted a historic 60th-anniversary celebration in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park.
Finally, Dave was a big animal lover. His family had many dogs during his growing up years and later in life found a huge love for cats and they for him. In the past two years he and Kristy adopted two and foster-failed two more beautiful cats he adored and cared for. His relationship with his animals helped sustain him and gave him great comfort as he battled cancer.
Dave was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Michael Grover (Angie). He is survived by his loving and devoted wife, Kristy Benton-Grover; his daughter Bryony Rose Grover (Rowan); his stepsons Benton and Lance Maldonado; his sister Michele Wooden (Dirk); and numerous nieces and nephews.
We will always remember Dave as an avid Deadhead (Grateful Dead follower), for his colorful tattoo sleeves, as a cigar connoisseur, cat dad, boater, and loving father and husband.
Donations in Dave's memory may be made online to Town Cats, the local Ocean City rescue and sanctuary for cats, https://towncats.net.
"There were days and there were days and there were days between" - Days Between, Song by Grateful Dead, 1999.
"Sleep in the stars. Don't you cry." Bird Song, Song by Grateful Dead, 1971.
"Every silver lining's got a touch of grey. I will get by, I will survive" - Touch of Grey, Song by Grateful Dead, 1987.
