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United States Army Veteran World War II, England, Airplane Mechanic
Ruth Ward, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Ward and J.J. Griffin, Jr. son of Mr. and Mrs. J.J. (Jack) Griffin, Sr. were married June 1, 1940. They lived in the wake community and their eldest daughter, Rozonna Loree was born there. In 1942 they moved to Kelley Field, San Antonio, Texas. On the twenty-fifth of August, J.J. left for England where he worked for eighteen months during World war II. Their son, Howard Lee was born while his father was overseas. Howard was nine and a half months old before his father returned home and first saw his son. In October 1944, the family returned to the farm where J.J. grew up. Two other children were born - Vivella Sue and Jessie Jackson, III. The family became active members of the McAdoo Methodist Church. J.J., Jr. was Trustee and Chairman of the official board and Church School Superintendent from 1946- . All four of their children graduated from Crosbyton High School.Rozonna, the eldest daughter, graduated in 1959 as valedictorian. She attended Texas Tech University and married Gilbert Kinlen from Michigan. They moved to Albuquerque in 1962. Both Rozonna and Jim have their pilot's license. They edit and publish "The New Mexico Flying Review." They have one son Christopher James who is in the U.S. Army now serving in South Korea. They also have a daughter Leslie Loree, who is a senior at Hope Christian High School in Albuquerque.
Howard Lee attended Fort Worth College after graduating from high school. He went to work for AT&T and moved to Houston, Texas. There he met and married Madeline Marie Kahlden. They have one daughter, Shree Denice. In 1966 they moved back to the family farm in the Wake community. In 1967 they were the proud parents of twins. They named them Howard Marshal and Debra Laree. Another son Adam Tanner was born in 1973. Viella Sue attended West Texas State University and there she met and married Johnny Rex Rattan in 1964. They have four daughters, Roeda D'Lyn, Kimberly Ruth, Jenny Rebecca and Susan Melinda. They reside in Clarendon, Texas.
Jack graduated from Crosbyton High School in 1966. He married Martha Antonette Leyba in the Chapel of New Mexico University in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1971. They moved back to Texas where their son Craig Jackson was born. they were divorced in 1974. On May 1, 1975 Jack married Irene Steffy in the Methodist parsonage at McAdoo. They had one daughter Judieth Helena. Deborah and Jack were divorced in February of 1979 and March 3, 1979 he remarried his first wife, Antonette (Annie). They became the parents of another daughter Jacqulin Ann. They live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Ruth and J.J., Jr. still live in McAdoo community and are active in community affairs.
"Top of the Cap" by Mildred Jackson Cornelius © 1985; Catclaw Printing
Services for J.J. Griffin, 80, of McAdoo were held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 30, 2002 at McAdoo First United Methodist Church with the Rev. Gary Boles and Rev. David Griffin officiating.Burial was in McAdoo Cemetery under the direction of Adams Funeral Home of Crosbyton.
He died Sunday, Jan. 27, 2002 at Crosbyton Clinic Hospital.
He was born April 16, 1921, in Wake community, TX.
He married Wilma Ruth Ward on June 1, 1940, in McAdoo, TX. He was a member of McAdoo First United Methodist Church, where he served as a Sunday School teacher for the men´s class for many years, chairman of the official board and was Sunday School superintendent. He was also a member of the Antique Automobile Club and president of West Texas Pioneer Old Settlers. He served 1 1/2 years overseas in England during World War II and at Kelley Field as an airplane mechanic. He was a lifelong farmer near the Wake community. The Rio Blanco Soil and Water Conservation District awarded him an outstanding farmer award for farming practices.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Roxanna Kinlen, and son-in-law Jim in Nov. 1997 and a brother Rev. J. Waid Griffin.
Survivors include his wife, Ruth of McAdoo; two sons, Howard Griffin and his wife Madeline of Lamesa and Jack Griffin and his wife Annie of Albuquerque, N.M.; a daughter, Sue of Lorenzo; a brother, Rev. Lee Griffin of Canyon Lake; two sisters, Wilma Bradshaw of Springtown and Jo Hillman and her husband Darrel of Weatherford; 13 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and a great-great-grandchild.
The family suggests memorials to the McAdoo Cemetery Association or McAdoo First United Methodist Church.
©The Crosby County News & Chronicle, Friday, Feb. 1, 2002, page 8
Services for Wilma Ruth Griffin, 86, of McAdoo will be at 2:00 PM, Monday, November 26, 2007 at the McAdoo United Methodist Church with Rev. David Waid Griffin and Rev. Larry Burton officiating. Burial will be in the McAdoo Cemetery under direction of Adams Funeral Home of Lorenzo.
