Allan R. Groth, 68, husband of Judith Laidler Groth, died Monday, Nov. 8, 2004, at Tuomey Regional Medical Center.

Born in Enderlin, ND, he was the son of the late Alfred Groth and the late Estella Berland Groth.

Mr. Groth was a retired major with the US Air Force with 26 years of service. He was a recipient of the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross with eight Oak Leaf Clusters, The Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal with 24 Oak Leaf Clusters, Vietnam Service Medal with three Bronze Stars, the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Device with two Oak Leaf Clusters. Mr. Groth was a member of the Special Operations Association, Delta Force.

He also belonged to the Sumter Camera Club, Sumter Amateur Radio Association and was an avid sail plane pilot.

He had a believer's baptism at Westside Baptist Church, where he attended, in December 2003.

Surviving are his wife of Sumter; two sons, Jeff Groth and his wife, Linda, of Raleigh, N.C., and Kevin Groth and his wife, Maria, of Saginaw, Texas; a daughter, Laura Mossell and her husband, Mark, of Sumter; a sister, Berniece Grubb of Seattle; five grandchildren, Justin Groth, Bradley Groth, Matthew Mossell, Jacob Mossell and Mary Katheryn Mossell.

He was preceded in death by two sisters, Barbara Ford and Anne Groth.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Westside Baptist Church with the Rev. Mark Bourdeaux officiating.

Burial will follow in Evergreen Memorial Park Cemetery with full military honors.

Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Special Forces Project Delta and Dr. Billy Clowney and Dr. Thomas Hawkey.

The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. today at Elmore Hill McCreight Funeral Home and other times at the home, 599 Covington Drive.