Groner Pitts was head cheerleader at Howard Payne before his graduation in 1948, kicking off his career as one of Howard Payne’s biggest athletic supporters. He and his wife, Johnnie Beth, provided strong support for the school’s sports teams for decades. Named Howard Payne “Man of the Year” in 1970, he was past chair of the board of trustees’ athletic committee and was awarded a Doctorate of Humanities from Howard Payne. An endowed chair in the department of political science at Howard Payne also was named in his honor. He was perhaps best known as a member of the “Brownwood Mafia” and for his unwavering support of Howard Payne basketball. His verbal onslaughts at “Mr. Ref” after questionable calls were legendary. A 1982 Associated Press story described Pitts  as a "feisty, tireless, semi-lovable promoter-preacher-patriot." He was a longtime member of First Baptist Church Brownwood, where he served as a deacon. He was funeral director with Davis-Morris Funeral Home. The National Guard Armory in Brownwood was renamed the Groner A. Pitts National Guard Armory, the only armory named after a civilian and the first state building named in honor of a person still living. He was also a member of the Texas Water Development Board. He died in 2004.