Mahlon "Junior" Groff, 92, passed away on January 8, 2018 at his home in Seven Valleys. He was the loving husband of Eleanor (Shaffer) Groff.

Born February 19, 1925, in Dallastown, Mahlon was the son of the late Mahlon Sr. and Florence Groff.

For the first five years of his life, Mahlon lived with his grandparents, Charles and Sally Godfrey, on their farm and spent many summers there after that. He relocated to Palmyra with his parents for school and later graduated from Palmyra High School, where he was very active in baseball and basketball. Mahlon spent four years of alternative service living and working at his aunt and uncle's farm, where Blanche and Lawrence Hartman not only gave him a chance to work in the field but also seven cousins who have always been more like brothers and sisters to him. These are James Hartman (deceased), Kenneth "Bud" Hartman, Donald Hartman, Joanne Henry, June Bailey, Eugene Hartman, and Mary Lou Arnold.

As a young man, Mahlon volunteered as a seagoing cowboy through the Heifer Project to transport horses to war-torn Poland for farm work after World War II. Mahlon worked for Smith Village for 25 years and Penn State York for 14 years, retiring as the maintenance supervisor.

He was very active at Codorus Church of the Brethren, where he taught Sunday School and Bible School, was chairman of the building committee during the church construction project, and was very active in the men's choir, mixed choir, and the Codorus Male Quartet, which traveled and sang at various churches and was active for over 40 years. After retirement, Mahlon and his wife, Eleanor, turned their love for wood crafts and painting into a business, Groff's Woodshed Crafts, which they managed together for over 10 years out of their home workshop. They enjoyed road trips to Lancaster for craft ideas, trips to Ricketts Glen and the beach, and spending time with their ever-growing family.

Mahlon is survived by his children, Connie Maclay and husband, Bob; Bill Weaver and wife, Ann; Cathy Myers Zigler and husband, Mark; Joan Whitmer and husband, John; and Brad Weaver and wife, Lori; 11 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by a wife, Laura (Godfrey) Groff and son in law, Terry Myers.

A funeral service to honor Mahlon's life will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, January 12 at Codorus Church of the Brethren, 1129 Dunkard Valley Rd., Dallastown, PA 17313, with Pastor Ben Godfrey officiating.  A visitation with the family will be held at the church on Friday, and will begin at 9:00 AM until the start of the service. Interment will follow in Codorus Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his honor may be made to your favorite charity or the Codorus Church of the Brethren, 1129 Dunkard Valley Road, Dallastown, PA 17313.