R. Fred Groff, III, a respected Funeral Director, was born in 1952 and grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the Mercersburg Academy in 1970 and later graduated from Stetson University in 1974 with a Bachelor's in Business Administration. He graduated from Catonsville Community College in 1975 with a degree in Mortuary Science.

He married Robin U. Shoop in 1974. Fred and Robin live in New Holland, and are the parents of two sons, Robert F. Groff, IV, a medical school student in his third year at the University of Pittsburgh, and Daniel W. Groff, a graduate of Temple University who is currently employed with UGI Energy in Wyomissing.

Fred's Funeral career began in Baltimore in 1975 when he worked for the Henry W. Jenkins Funeral Home and the William E. Johnson Funeral Home. In 1976 he moved to Lexington, Kentucky, and worked for the Milward Funeral Homes, returning to Lancaster in the fall of 1976. In January of 1977, he moved to New Holland to operate the George D. High Funeral Home in connection with the family business, Fred F. Groff, Inc.

Fred operated the Groff-High Funeral Home in New Holland from 1977 to 1980 when his firm merged with the C. Stanley Eckenroth Home for Funerals, Terre Hill, PA. He then operated the Groff-High-Eckenroth Funeral Home in New Holland and Terre Hill until 1985 when he purchased the business and real estate from his father. In 1999, he purchased the Beck Funeral Home, Inc. in New Holland from Edgar O. Beck and continues to own and operate these funeral homes.

Professionally, he is a member of the Selected Independent Funeral Homes, National Funeral Directors Association, Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association, and Lancaster County Funeral Directors Association as a board member.

Fred has been a leader also in other areas of interest. Currently, he serves as secretary of the Board of Ephrata Community Hospital, serving on the Nominating Committee, Strategic Long Range Planning, Executive Committee, Fund Development and Finance Committee. At Trinity Lutheran Church, Hew Holland, Fred has served as former President of Church Council and is currently serving on the Outreach and Cemetery committees and as a choir member. He is also President of New Holland Rotary Club. Fred serves on the Board of Historic Poole Forge, Inc., Churchtown. He also serves on the Board of the Eastern Lancaster County Library Board of Trustees. He has sung with the Gap Male Chorus for the past sixteen years. He serves as President of the Lancaster Aero Club where he maintains his love of flying as an instrument rated Private Pilot. He was formerly a Cub Scout Leader in New Holland.

Fred enjoys golf, racquetball and recreation in Ocean City, Maryland.

Loren Bender has been affiliated with the funeral home since 1988. A native of Belleville, PA, he graduated from the Belleville Mennonite High School. He then received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Eastern Mennonite University and a diploma in Funeral Service from the Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science. He received his funeral director's license in 1989 following his internship at the Heffner Funeral Home of York.

Professionally, he is a member of the Lancaster County Funeral Director's Association, the Pennsylvania Funeral Director's Association, and the National Funeral Director's Association. He completed the course in sterile eye enucleation in the Departments of Ophthalmology and Anatomy at Wills Eye Hospital to assist those who choose to be organ donors. He also is a licensed life insurance agent in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the purpose of providing a funding vehicle for persons to prepay funeral expenses.

Locally, he is involved in various capacities at New Holland Mennonite Church and has been a past board member of Upward Call Counseling Service in New Holland.

Loren is married to Judy (King) Bender, an Oncology Nurse at the Ephrata Cancer Center. They reside in New Holland with their two children, Jonathan and Christy.

Sven Miller was born in Lowville, NY in 1964. He graduated from Lowville Central School in 1982, attended Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, VA and graduated from Simmons School of Funeral Service, Syracuse, NY in 1984. He worked at the Donald F. Virkler Funeral Home, Lowville, NY for 10 years as a licensed director and owned the funeral home for the last 4 of those 10 years. In 1996 he graduated from Hesston College with a degree in Pastoral Ministry and served as pastor of the Pinto Mennonite Church from 1996 until 1999 when he began working at the Groff-High-Eckenroth Funeral Home. Sven is married to Laurel Miller from Union City, PA and they have 2 children, Andee, born in 1990, and Joel, born in 1991. They attend Weaverland Mennonite Church, East Earl, PA. As a family they enjoy camping, visiting family, and most recently motorcycling.

Brian Hafer joined the funeral home in 1999. A native of Auburn, PA, he graduated from Blue Mountain High School and completed his mortuary training at Northampton County Area Community College. Following his formal training, he was employed by the Reisman Funeral Home in Philadelphia and then spent the next 13 years at the Roland Funeral Home in Lebanon.

He is a member of the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors Association, the National Funeral Directors Association, the Pennsylvania Division Post E, TPA, Lebanon and a life member of the Lebanon County Historical Society.

Now living in New Holland, he enjoys coin collecting and antiques.