Van Griffin
Gregory, Greg, leaves us saddened. He was the 2nd of three boys born in the same hospital room in Quitman, Ga. Mom and Dad, Virginia Kathleen Roark and John Luther Griffin, brought him into this world in 1961; on November 21st he was 63. Greg’s Navy family took him to many ports over our father’s career. The most influential duty station being Mayport Naval Station, the years where he transitioned from Finnegan to Fletcher. In those years Fletcher was doing a split day for middle school and high school students. The oldest brother, Wade, would get on the bus in the morning and then Greg would go to school in the afternoon. Wade was the first to pick up a surfboard and Greg was soon to follow. The three of us skinned plenty of knees in that driveway on Oregon city Street using skateboards made of plywood and roller-skates cut in half. Skateboarding was taking off in the early 70s. It was Mayport where Greg first picked up a guitar, 5th grade. I don’t think he had any encouragement -he kept playing for a lifetime. Us three finished high school at Roosevelt Roads High School. I remember the first year at Rosie -the three of us were all in the same Spanish class. The high school graduated about 35 seniors a year. One way or another we three all managed to find a way to Corpus Christi, Texas, the duty station after Puerto Rico. By the winter semester we had all started college in Kingsville. Two years later Dad was off to Camp Smith on Oahu with the three of us agreeing to transfer to Florida State.
And children graduate, become men and steer their ships through life. Greg’s passing follows Wade’s, whose loss greatly affected the three of us that remained. Mom, a sparkle missing in her eye. And Greg lost a compass.
Time pushes on, we make way for our children. Cherish the lightness of their steps and innocence of their hearts.
I love you Greg