Sidney L. 'Sid' Groff, 91

Dr. Sidney L. “Sid” Groff, of Butte, died Jan. 17, 2011, in Butte after an extended illness.

Born to Forest and Laura (Warren) Groff April 7, 1919, on a ranch near Victor, Sid graduated from Victor High School in 1937.

Sid was predeceased by his wife, U.S. Marine Corps Master Sgt. Billie Groff in 1971, his parents, and brother Gene.

Survivors include wife, Shirley Groff, of Butte; brother, Fuzzy Groff, of Victor; son, Jon Groff, of Missoula; daughter Billie and Tom Oliver, grandsons Tim Miller, and Steve and Debbie Miller, and great-grandchildren Kelsey and Jacob Miller, all of Columbia Falls; stepchildren, Delbert and Mary Jo Hunt of East Helena, Marvin Hunt and Stacy of Helena, and Dr. Michelle Hunt Olsen and Phil of Bismarck, N.D.; and stepgrandchildren, Clari Olsen of Kansas City, Nathan Hunt of Dillon, and Kayla Hunt of Missoula.

The family was cared for by Wayrynen-Richards Funeral Home. Funeral services were conducted Jan. 24 at the First Baptist Church in Butte. Burial was in the Victor Cemetery.

Following graduation from high school, Sid attended the University of Montana, Missoula, earned a private pilot’s license and a bachelor’s degree in geology, graduating in May 1941. Sid was selected for the U.S. Naval Aviation flight training program, earned fighter pilot certification in April 1942, and was transferred to the U.S. Marine Corps. Wanting to put his flying skills to use in the war effort as quickly as possible, Sid completed additional training at Quantico, Va., before being transferred to the VMD 154 photo reconnaissance squadron at a forward base supporting the heroic combat operations on the island of Guadalcanal. Sid was involved in administration and maintenance, in addition to flying dual-mission B-24 bombers.

As a Marine captain, Sid was rotated to Cherry Point, N.C., to participate in training new combat aviators. Sid married Billie Lockridge of Honey Grove, Texas, also on active duty as a Marine and was promoted to the rank of major as executive officer of a twin-engine attack bomber squadron, before being transferred with his unit back to combat operations in the Philippines. Sid served at a Marine air base in California until 1949 when he retired from military duty.

Sid earned a master’s degree at the University of Montana in geology in 1954, and his Ph.D. at the University of Utah in 1959. He returned to Montana for the position of chief, Groundwater and Mineral Fuels Division, Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology.

Dr. Groff was the early visionary who recognized the possibility and potential of vast coal deposits in the Fort Union Formation of eastern Montana, western North Dakota, and northeast Wyoming. Dr. Groff was appointed to the newly formed General Coal Technical Advisory Committee of the Montana state Department of Interior. Dr. Groff played a key role in obtaining research funds and became the Montana state geologist in 1971.

In March of 1979 Sid married Shirley Hand Hunt of Butte where he and Shirley resided, sharing in a rich life of community service.

Memorials may be sent to the Victor School Foundation, Geological department of the University of Utah, or the Geology department at Montana Tech.