Parley Groves

Parley ‘Glenn’ Groves, 97, of Monaca, passed away Monday evening, June 1, 2015, at Good Samaritan Hospice at Heritage Valley Beaver.Born March 16, 1918, in Deer Park, MD, and raised on a farm in Eighty Four, PA, he was a son of the late William Albert and Blanche E. (Flannigan) Groves. Glenn proudly served in the US Army with Company A, 263rd Combat Engineering Battalion in the 63rd Infantry Division in Rhineland and Central Europe during World War II. He was part of a group that operated heavy machinery to cut paths through Germany for our troops to bring equipment and supplies to help defeat the Nazis. For his efforts during the war, Glenn received the European African Middle Eastern Service Medal with two bronze stars. He later served in the US Navy Reserves. A heavy equipment operator for the International Union of Operating Engineers, Local #66, in Pittsburgh, he worked for a number of years for Istock Construction in Aliquippa. In February of this year he was recognized for his 75 years as a member of the union. He used his excavation expertise to develop the Groves Housing Plan, located on Bechtel Street Extension, where he and some family members still live. Glenn was a life member of the Monaca Sportsmen’s Club and the Disabled Veterans of America. When he was younger he enjoyed hunting and fishing and later enjoyed growing vegetables in his garden. He enjoyed woodworking and had made several items for the Church of the Nazarene in Monaca, which he previously attended, as well as wood pieces for others over the years. He later attended Monacrest Free Methodist Church.He is survived by his second wife, Peggy Adams Groves; four children, Levina Pritchard and her husband, Otto, of Monaca, Karen Lieberman and her husband, Mark, of Greenville, SC, Ronald Groves and his wife, Janice, of Monaca and Robert Groves of New Castle; a daughter-in-law, Christine Groves of Wampum; four step-children, Linda Piatt and her husband, Paul ‘Butch’, of Washington, PA, Janet Caton and her husband, James, of Adah, PA, William H. Adams, Jr. of Ruff Creek and Patricia Adams of Monaca; seven grandchildren, James (Mara) Pritchard, Kevin (Mary Beth) Groves, Jennifer (Jeffries) Oliver-Li, Jaclyn Bender (Harry) Bohli, Patricia Groves and Steven Leidy and Jonathan Leidy; seven step-grandchildren, Margaret Ellen Kelly, Lynn Ann Grabiak, Barbara Ann Smith, Beth Carter, Josh Lewis, Emily Helen and Hallie Brett; ten great-grandchildren and eight step-great-grandchildren, two sisters, Martha Bergman of Monongahela and Beatrice Blessing of North Canton, OH; a sister-in-law, Georgeanne Groves of Washington, PA, and several nieces and nephews including David ‘Dickie’ Worobec, who was raised with him.In addition to his parents Glenn was preceded in death by his first wife, Margaret R. (Krepps) Groves on November 26, 1998; a son-in-law, Dr. Jack Bender; a daughter-in-law, Ellen Groves; four siblings, Leah Breese, Ocie Galloway, Lauren Groves and Everett Groves; and a step-granddaughter, Dawn Loughman.Friends will be received Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Thursday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. in the Simpson Funeral & Cremation Services, 1119 Washington Avenue, Monaca. Friends will also be received Friday from 10 a.m. until the time of service at 11 a.m. at Monacrest Free Methodist Church, 995 Elmira Avenue, Monaca, with Rev. Doug Rabe, Pastor, officiating.Interment will follow in Sylvania Hills Memorial Park where he will be laid to rest next to his first wife.Full military honors will be provided by the Beaver County Special Unit at the cemetery at 12 noon.In lieu of flowers the family has suggested that memorial contributions may be made, if desired, to Good Samaritan Hospice, 3500 Brooktree Road, Suite 320, Wexford, PA 15090.To share online condolences, get directions and other information, please visit simpsonfuneralhome.com.