James Griffin
East Alton |
James Thomas Griffin, 86, died at 12:26 p.m. Friday, January 14, 2011 at his home in Lebanon.
Born December 1, 1924 in Russellville, Arkansas, he was the son of James Leland and Lenora (Crow) Griffin. He served his country in World War II as a corporal in the U.S. Marne Corps and fought in the war of the Pacific. Jim was a long-time member of Cherry Street Baptist Church and is currently a member of East Alton Baptist Church. He retired from the Olin Corporation in East Alton after 44 years of service as a machinist. On November 21, 1946 he married the former Marcella Gross, also of Alton, who preceded him in death on October 22, 1972.
Surviving is a daughter, Carol Smalley and her husband Roger of Lebanon, one grandson, David R. Smalley and his wife Valerie of Swansea, Massachusetts; one brother, A. Tyler Griffin and his wife Audrey of Pinehurst, North Carolina; a nephew, Judson Griffin of New York, New York; and a niece, Eve Griffin, of Skagway, Alaska.
Also surviving are four stepchildren: Dineen, Dominic, Daron and Jill. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the funeral service at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Gent Funeral Home in Alton.
Burial will be at Valhalla Memorial Park in Godfrey with full military honors by the VFW Post 1308.
Reverend Nancy Livingston will officiate. Memorials may be made to the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes Jewish Hospital and Hospice Patient Fund, BJC Hospice P.O. Box 504043, St. Louis, MO 63150.
Online guestbook and information may be found at www.gentfuneralhome.com.
Gent Funeral Home
