Rev. John Daniel Groff
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
He was born May 24, 1911, in Jefferson Township, Huntington County, to Russell and Hazel Hawkins Groff. In 1941, he married Helen Eberhart, who died in 1993. He then married Mary Myerly Reece.
He graduated from Clear Creek High School in 1927, attended Huntington College and graduated from Manchester College in 1931.
He taught school and coached three sports at Bippus High School, starting in 1931. His team achieved a 17 and 2 record and Chris Schenkel began his sports casting career calling the games at Bippus. He received his coaching certification from Northwestern University and his master’s degree in education from Indiana University.
Following his wedding, he enrolled in Yale Divinity School, graduating with a master’s degree in divinity in 1943. His first pastoral assignment was in San Antonio, Texas, for a year, then the couple moved to Fort Worth where he was senior pastor at Arlington Heights Christian Church. Both of his children were born in Texas.
While in Fort Worth, he was president of the Tarrant County Ministerial Association and was spokesman for the associated churches in the effort to desegregate the public schools of Fort Worth despite multiple threats to himself and his family. He also taught Christian Ethics at TCU.
In 1953, the family moved to Benton Harbor, Mich., to be near their parents who resided in Huntington County. As president of the Berrien County Council of Churches, he championed the cause of improving the living and working conditions of migrant workers employed in the fruit and vegetable fields of Southern Michigan.
In 1959, the family returned to Huntington County for health reasons. He served at Bethesda E.U.B. on Bracken Road until he returned to full time teaching at Columbia City High School. He retired from CCHS at age 66. He continued working on the family farm into his mid 90s.
After marrying Mary, they moved to Claypool, where he resided until age 100. His last year was spent in Huntington, living with his daughter and son-in-law.
He was a life-long member of Kiwanis and the Masonic Lodge of Mount Etna.
Surviving are a daughter, Elizabeth (and spouse Marshall) Sanders; a son, Daniel E. (and spouse Lynn) Groff; four grandchildren: Daniel Nelson, West Virginia; Rebecca (and spouse Bill) Whitlock, Indianapolis; John Daniel (and spouse Kayla) Groff, Minnesota; and Jim Groff, Chicago; and a step-great-grandson, Dalton Whitlock.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Trinity United Methodist Church, 530 Guilford, Huntington, with Pastors Land and Evelyn Taylor Haney officiating. Burial will be in Clear Creek Cemetery, Huntington.
Calling is from 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Bailey-Love Mortuary, Huntington, and one hour prior to the service Monday at the church.
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Memorials may made to Claypool United Methodist Church, Trinity United Methodist Church, Huntington and Manchester University, c/o care of Bailey-Love Mortuary, 35 W. Park Drive, Huntington, IN 46750.
Condolences may be sent via www.baileylove.com
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He was born May 24, 1911, in Jefferson Township, Huntington County, to Russell and Hazel Hawkins Groff. In 1941, he married Helen Eberhart, who died in 1993. He then married Mary Myerly Reece.
He graduated from Clear Creek High School in 1927, attended Huntington College and graduated from Manchester College in 1931.
He taught school and coached three sports at Bippus High School, starting in 1931. His team achieved a 17 and 2 record and Chris Schenkel began his sports casting career calling the games at Bippus. He received his coaching certification from Northwestern University and his master’s degree in education from Indiana University.
Following his wedding, he enrolled in Yale Divinity School, graduating with a master’s degree in divinity in 1943. His first pastoral assignment was in San Antonio, Texas, for a year, then the couple moved to Fort Worth where he was senior pastor at Arlington Heights Christian Church. Both of his children were born in Texas.
While in Fort Worth, he was president of the Tarrant County Ministerial Association and was spokesman for the associated churches in the effort to desegregate the public schools of Fort Worth despite multiple threats to himself and his family. He also taught Christian Ethics at TCU.
In 1953, the family moved to Benton Harbor, Mich., to be near their parents who resided in Huntington County. As president of the Berrien County Council of Churches, he championed the cause of improving the living and working conditions of migrant workers employed in the fruit and vegetable fields of Southern Michigan.
In 1959, the family returned to Huntington County for health reasons. He served at Bethesda E.U.B. on Bracken Road until he returned to full time teaching at Columbia City High School. He retired from CCHS at age 66. He continued working on the family farm into his mid 90s.
After marrying Mary, they moved to Claypool, where he resided until age 100. His last year was spent in Huntington, living with his daughter and son-in-law.
He was a life-long member of Kiwanis and the Masonic Lodge of Mount Etna.
Surviving are a daughter, Elizabeth (and spouse Marshall) Sanders; a son, Daniel E. (and spouse Lynn) Groff; four grandchildren: Daniel Nelson, West Virginia; Rebecca (and spouse Bill) Whitlock, Indianapolis; John Daniel (and spouse Kayla) Groff, Minnesota; and Jim Groff, Chicago; and a step-great-grandson, Dalton Whitlock.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Trinity United Methodist Church, 530 Guilford, Huntington, with Pastors Land and Evelyn Taylor Haney officiating. Burial will be in Clear Creek Cemetery, Huntington.
Calling is from 2 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Bailey-Love Mortuary, Huntington, and one hour prior to the service Monday at the church.
*****
Memorials may made to Claypool United Methodist Church, Trinity United Methodist Church, Huntington and Manchester University, c/o care of Bailey-Love Mortuary, 35 W. Park Drive, Huntington, IN 46750.
Condolences may be sent via www.baileylove.com
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