Camille Ezzo Grothier, 83, of Bismarck, North Dakota, passed away on July 7, 2026, after a courageous seven-and-a-half-year journey with metastatic breast cancer. When doctors gave her one year to live in 2018, Camille had other plans, and she stayed to fill every one of those extra years with the laughter, love, and generosity that defined her entire life.

Camille was born on December 4, 1942, in Syracuse, New York. On July 14, 1962, she married the love of her life, Mark Grothier, Sr., beginning a partnership that would carry them through decades of adventure, service, and devotion. For twenty years, Camille served as a military spouse while Mark served in the Air Force, raising their three children with grace and resilience through every relocation and challenge that military life brought their way.

Once her children began elementary school in 1972, Camille pursued her calling in healthcare and became a registered nurse. She worked in hospitals in both Syracuse, New York, and Bismarck, North Dakota, where colleagues quickly learned that nothing fazed her. She could work on open wounds and then sit down to enjoy a hearty lunch or supper without missing a beat. Her pioneering spirit carried her even further when she became the first person in the state of North Dakota to achieve a medical coding license, going on to work as a professional medical coder at the Bone and Joint Center in Bismarck.

When semi-retirement came calling, Camille found the perfect landing spot at JoAnn Fabrics in Bismarck, feeding her deep passion for quilting while surrounded by the fabrics and patterns she loved. Her beautiful quilts became treasured gifts, each one stitched with the same care and joy she brought to everything she touched.

Camille was deeply involved in her community through Toastmasters, Kiwanis Club, Quilting Guilds, and the P.E.O. Sisterhood, where she was cherished for her infectious joy and generous spirit. But her heart truly belonged to the United Church of Christ in Bismarck, where she worshiped and served for over thirty years. Camille became a lay minister, preaching God's word to congregations across North Dakota. She occasionally forgot something during a service, but someone in the congregation would gently remind her, and she would laugh right through it, bringing everyone along with her. She loved her church's quilting group, where she would quilt, laugh, cry, and eat with her beloved friends. She adored Bible study, fellowship, and, perhaps most of all, rummage sales, where she famously bought more than she ever donated.

Whenever a member of her church passed away, Camille would say with quiet conviction, "Good for them."

Camille is survived by her loving husband, Mark Grothier, Sr.; her daughter, Anna Marie Johnson; her son, Mark Grothier, Jr.; and her many beloved grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her oldest daughter, Elizabeth Mettler.

Camille held her living memorial on November 16, 2024, at the United Church of Christ in Bismarck. The service can be viewed on YouTube through the United Church of Christ YouTube page. Camille Grothier Living Memorial

Now it is our turn to say, "Good for you, Camille." You were a faithful servant until your last breath. We are so excited for you to be with your heavenly Father, reunited with Elizabeth and all those who have gone before you. Your laughter will echo in our hearts, your quilts will warm our homes, and your love will carry us forward. You will be missed by so many, but we find peace knowing you have completed God's will and entered into His eternal joy.