Obituary: Kenneth Griffith

Kenneth Eugene (“Jack” or “Beans”) Griffith, age 91, died on Tuesday, January 29, 2013 at the Royal C. Johnson Veterans Administration Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD.

Jack was born the third of ten children on September 6, 1921 to Oren Henry and Nellie Marguerite (Chubbuck) Griffith in Worthington, MN.

After December 7, 1941 - he attended a government machinist school in Shakopee, MN. He then went to work in the Seattle shipyards before enlisting in the Navy on September 16, 1942. Jack trained with the flight crew at Wildwood by the Sea, NJ, during the spring of 1943 preparing for duty on USS Shangri-Law. While there - on July 9, 1943, he married his “favorite” fan and WHS classmate, Elinor Heig, in a double ceremony with friends, Harold (Coastguard) and Berdina Hogan.

Following WWII, he learned printing as a profession. He went to work at the Daily Globe where he was head pressman for 37 years and retired October 1983. Later he continued printing at Minnesota West College until he was 75.

Jack belonged to the following Worthington entities: Volunteer Fire Department, Elks Lodge 2287, VFW Post 3958, Retired Men’s Club, Gun Club, Country Club and Worthington Christian Church.

An avid hunter and fisherman, he organized some-40 years of fishing trips to Lac Seul, Canada. He enjoyed making things in his workshop, attending car races and having lunch every day with Amy and Kirby - Jack’s dog. He was a good, proud father to his four children: Barbara, Jerry, Jane, and Greg along with nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Family members who are meeting him at the pearly gates are Grandma Harris, his parents, and siblings, Bill and Jeanette Griffith, Bob and Chris Griffith, Helen and Floyd Currier, Francis and Darlene Griffith, Jim Griffith, Lester Griffith, Ila and Dale Nelson, and son-in-law, Richard Bjornstad.

Those left behind are - his wife of 69 ½ years, Elinor Griffith, Worthington; children, Barbara Bjornstad, Vail AZ, Jerry Griffith, Mansfield, TX, Jane (Dennis) Voss, Sioux Falls, SD, and Greg (Katie) Hansen, Salem, OR; sister-in-law, Hazel Griffith, Worthington; brother, Randy (Deb) Griffith, Worthington; sister, Rosemary (John) Nelson, Worthington; care-giver, Amy (Stan) Moritz, Worthington, and many special relatives, friends and neighbors.

Memorial services will be held on Thursday, February 7, 2013, at 11:00 a.m., at the Worthington Christian Church in Worthington, MN, with Pastor Doug White officiating. Burial, with military rites, will be held in the Worthington Memorial Gardens Cemetery.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, February 6, 2013, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., at the Benson Funeral Home in Worthington.

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