The Groves Family: Generations of Service, Impact and Maverick Spirit

In 1929, when Colorado Mesa University was still Grand Junction Junior College, James Groves was among the college’s earliest graduates. Raised on a peach farm near Grand Junction, Colorado, James continued his education by pursuing a law degree before returning home to establish his practice. He spent much of his career serving the local community before eventually joining the Colorado Supreme Court, where he served as a justice for 12 years. In 1969, CMU recognized Groves as a distinguished alumnus. His connection to the college would become part of a family story that still continues nearly a century later. “If you are looking for proof of what can start at [Colorado Mesa University], you could not invent a better example,” says Erik Groves, ’05, James’ grandson. “His life is the argument for CMU. He grew up on a peach farm a few miles from campus, graduated in the school’s very first years and ended his career in the highest court in Colorado.” The connection continued with Erik.

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