William C. Groves

William C. Groves, 79, of Carmichaels, Pa., passed away on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at Evergreen Assisted Living, Waynesburg, Pa. He was born November 9, 1941 in Waynesburg, a son of the late William L. "Scotty" and Mary Jane (Burnette) Groves. Bill was a 1959 graduate of Cumberland Township High School and attended West Virginia University on a football scholarship from 1959 to 1961 when he entered the U. S. Air Force. He served his country for four years in Bangor, Maine and returned to West Virginia University on a football scholarship and lettered in 1965. In 1967, Bill earned his bachelor's degree in history and physical education. While working on his master's degree in industrial safety, he received a graduate assistantship with the athletic department at WVU. On April 1, 1967, he met fellow student, Paula J. Aulabaugh, and they were married on August 20, 1967.

Bill's first job was with the Aluminum Company of America where he became the first person hired with a specific degree in safety. He next worked painting the towers and steel structures at Hatfield Ferry Power Station in Greene County. In the early 1970's, Bill opened Groves Service Station and Car Wash which he operated until 1974. From 1974 until 1976, he worked as the Carmichaels Borough secretary treasurer.

In 1977, Bill ran for and secured the office of Cumberland Township Supervisor and held that position until 1989. During his tenure as supervisor, he served the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors as secretary of the board from 1982 until 1984, as an executive board member from 1984 until 1987 and served as chairman of the board from 1987 until 1989. Bill also served as president of the Greene County Association of Township Supervisors in 1984 and served on the governor's advisory committee on local government.

Outside of Bill's traditional employment, he partnered with Craig Baily in 1980 to form Baily Trucking which they operated until 1988. Bill also formed Haulit Trucking Inc. in 1981 and secured a contract for busing the students of the Carmichaels Area School District for many years.

In 1989, Bill began work as the Greene County maintenance manager for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation until his retirement in 1998. He was known to have the only PennDOT truck garage in Pennsylvania in which the floor was painted white. In 1999, he received the Peoples Award, an award given each year to two of PennDOT's 12,000 employees for outstanding contributions and accomplishments. That year, he also received the Hero's Award for helping to extricate two people from a burning house in Waynesburg.

After Bill's retirement, he became one of three trustees for the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors governing medical and unemployment compensation program from 2001 until 2017. Bill received the Excellence Award for the outstanding supervisor of the year in 2007. During that time, he again ran and secured the office of Cumberland Township Supervisor and held that position until again retiring in 2019.

Bill always considered himself a hometown boy. His love for Carmichaels and the surrounding area inspired him to devote much of his free time to his community. He was a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church in Carmichaels where he served as president of the church council. On July 4, 1969, he became a member of the Carmichaels and Cumberland Township Volunteer Fire Company and served as fire chief for 12 years. On July 5, 2019, Bill was awarded a golden ring for 50 years of continuous service with the fire company. In addition, he was a member of the Greene County Firemen's Association, the Western Pennsylvania Firemen's Association and the Southwestern Pennsylvania Chiefs and Assistant Chiefs Association. Bill was the one of the first emergency medical technicians in Greene County. He taught CPR for the American Heart Association and first aid for the Mining Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). Concerned for public safety, Bill chaired the commission to initiate emergency 911 service in Greene County.

Bill served on numerous community building projects. He served on the building committee for the Carmichaels Area High School field house, Cumberland American Legion Post 400 and the miner's memorial committee to erect the Greene County Welcome Center on Interstate 79. Bill insisted that the roof of the welcome center would be painted green. In addition, he served in 1991 as the president of the Greene County Parks and Recreation Board where he was instrumental in locating the new Greene County swimming pool at Wana B Park in Cumberland Township.

Fraternally, Bill was a member of Waynesburg Lodge No. 153, F. & A. M., the Uniontown Lodge of Perfection, the Scottish Rite Bodies in the Valley of Pittsburgh and Syria Temple. In 2017, he was awarded his 50 year membership pin from Waynesburg Lodge No. 153.

Bill was an avid golfer and in 1984, played the Old Course at St. Andrews and five other famous golf courses in Scotland.

In 1977, he became the youngest person to be chosen by the Carmichaels Lions Club as the Man of the Year. Bill served on the board of directors for Community Bank from 1996 until the present. He volunteered for many years as the master of ceremonies for the King Coal Association Coal Queen Pageant and also as the announcer for the Coal Show parade. Bill served as a director and vice-president of the Carmichaels Area Chamber of Commerce and many times as their master of ceremonies for the annual banquet.  He was a member of the board of directors for the Carmichaels Area Historical Society and in 2017, served as the chairman of the committee to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of the Borough of Carmichaels.  In addition, Bill served on the board of directors for the Laurel Point Cemetery Association and as chairman of the Greene County Democratic Committee.

Surviving in addition to his wife, Paula, is a son, William Scott Groves (Angie) of Carmichaels; a daughter, Marybell Cano (Angel) of Houston, Tex.; four grandchildren, William Scotty Groves, Ella Jean Groves, Karic Hughes and Angel Marcel Balzan; two nephews; two nieces; a sister-in-law, Barbara Sue Belcher (Wes) of Berkeley Springs, W. Va. and a brother-in-law, Steve Aulabaugh (Dinah) of Hedgesville, W. Va.

Family and friends are welcome from 6 to 8 P.M. on Monday and 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 P.M. on Tuesday in the Yoskovich Funeral Home, Carmichaels, Pa.

The funeral service will be conducted at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, August 18, 2021 at the First United Methodist Church, 104 West South Street, Carmichaels. Pastor Dayton D. Mix will officiate.

Interment will follow at Laurel Point Cemetery, Carmichaels.

The Carmichaels and Cumberland Township Volunteer Fire Company will conduct a memorial service at 7:00 P.M. on Monday in the funeral home and Waynesburg Lodge No. 153 will hold Masonic Services at 6:30 P.M. on Tuesday in the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Carmichaels and Cumberland Township Volunteer Fire Company, Post Office Box 123, Carmichaels, PA 15320.