IN MEMORIAM
Remembering Warren F. Groff ’49 In the person of Warren Frederick Groff, knowledge and faith; academy and church; the life of the mind and the life of the spirit, found productive room to live together. In 1949, he graduated summa cum laude from Juniata College and went on to earn a Bachelor of Divinity and a Doctor of Philosophy from Yale. He taught at Bridgewater College, Harvard University, and Bethany Theological Seminary where he also served as dean and president. His mind and spirit were nurtured both by the Ivy League and by the culture of the Pennsylvania Dutch. He reflected with equal ease and clarity on abstract philosophical complexities and the “things learned at mother’s knee.”
Warren F. Groff ’49
In the classroom, he was gentle but persistent, never berating or intimidating, and also never settling for anything less than one effort beyond the student’s self-determined limit. He both taught and became “paradigm” for his students. To the larger theological, academic community he brought a singleness of purpose—to establish rigor and excellence while struggling to find language devoid of jargon, pretense or special code. As president of the American Theological Society, he demonstrated a concern for both institutional vitality and robust support for curiosity tempered by efficacy. He did the same for the Church of the Brethren graduate school of theology during his 30 years of service. As a member of the Committee on Revision of Standards of the Association of Theological Schools, he set marks that continue to guide seminary education in the United States. In the international arena, serving on the Faith and Order Commission of the World Council of Churches, he provided the same persistent nudge toward excellence and salience. In like manner, he brought this genial intensity to the world of play. Whether at the bridge table or standing in a river with a homemade lure, he bore a cultivated focus that called for admiration and emulation in those who knew him. He graced theology with a tenderness that gave the discipline life and vitality. His quiet energy was an intellectual and spiritual leaven for those he served. In an era when the winds of doctrine seem to blow in shifty and uneven patterns and fact seems sometimes unmoored from systematic investigation, the life of this scholar, educator, pastor and churchman can be a “. . . star to every wandering bark whose worth’s unknown, although its height be taken.” (Sonnet 116, Shakespeare). —Andy Murray, retired professor of peace and conflict studies
Warren F. Groff, 94, of Bartlett, Illinois, died Sunday, June 23, 2019. He is remembered and admired as a loving husband and father, perceptive scholar, ardent churchman, skilled wordsmith, gentle soul, and thoughtful friend to many.
Warren served as a member of the Juniata College Board of Trustees from 1976–2000 and was an emeritus trustee from 2000 until his death. He received the Alumni Achievement Award in 1976 and the Church-College Service Award in 1989.
He was an active member of York Center Church of the Brethren for more than 50 years. In his free time, Warren loved playing bridge and other card games, and freshwater fishing (often using his own handmade “cedar plug” lures). He had a positive impact on many, many people and will be greatly missed by family and friends. Warren is survived by his wife Ruth, son David and wife Jill, sister-in-law Barbara, and five nieces and nephews, Steve, Laurie, Julie, Lisa, and Brad. He was preceded in death by his parents, Reinhart and Reba (Rupert), and his brothers Russell and wife Ada, and Paul.
2020 Spring |
Warren was born on June 27, 1924 in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania, and grew up in the nearby town of Harleysville. He was a World War II veteran, serving as master sergeant in the Army until 1946. Warren married the love of his life, Ruth (Davidheiser) on August 30, 1947, and they celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary last year. Warren’s academic achievements include a bachelor’s degree from Juniata College in 1949, a bachelor of divinity degree from Yale Divinity School in 1952, and a Ph.D. from Yale University in 1955.
He was an ordained minister, serving at churches in Pennsylvania and Connecticut from 1946–1954, and as an associate professor of religion at Bridgewater College from 1954–1958. Warren worked at Bethany Theological Seminary from 1958–1989, serving as professor of theology, dean, and president. He was an accomplished author, and respected for his many contributions to theological education.
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