Paul Eugene Griffith 1918-2005

GRIFFITH, KLEESE, THOMAS, BLEVINS, POWELL, SUTTER, DILLARD, PETERSON, DUSENBERRY

Posted By: Curtis (email)
Date: 11/26/2011 at 22:45:37

DEATH NOTICE:

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Leon, Iowa December 7, 2005)

GRIFFITH, Paul Eugene, 87, of Lamoni, Iowa, died November 29, 2005 at the Decatur County Hospital following a sudden decline in his health. Services were held Saturday, December 3, at the Community of Christ Church in Lamoni with High Priest T. Raymond Powell, Elder Roy Shields, and Evangelist Lester Stevenson officiating. Burial was in the Rose Hill Cemetery, Lamoni, Iowa.

Arrangements were made through the Slade-O'Donnell Funeral of Leon and Lamoni.

A memorial fund has been established by the family.

Obituary -

(The Leon Journal-Reporter Wednesday December 7, 2005)

PAUL EUGENE GRIFFITH ... Paul Eugene Griffith was the oldest child born to Clement Elias and Cora Mabel [Kleese] Griffith at home at Wellston, Iowa on February 13, 1918. He was looked up to by five younger siblings - Donald, Jack, Patricia, Theodore (Ted) and Clement, Jr. They have retained a strong closeness all their lives.

Paul attended grade school at Westminster Country school near West Chester, Iowa and graduated from West Chester High School where he enjoyed playing football.

Most all of his life Paul was known for his great physical strength and ability to work hard. He worked for his grandfather, Harry Kleese and neighboring farmers in the area for 50 cents a day during the Depression.

On June 6, 1941, Paul married Ada May Thomas, a young teacher who came to teach in the West Chester School. They happily set up housekeeping on a rented farm west of Paul's parents near West Chester. They also farmed near Ainsworth, Iowa and with Raymond Gordon south of West Chester.

In 1948, Paul and Ada decided it was time to purchase a farm of their own and found one to their liking at Lamoni, Iowa near Ada's parents. On March 1, 1949, they moved their family to the Murray farm at Tuskeego, 5 miles north of Lamoni. There, with much hard work and family involvement, they established and made the big house and farmstead and land their home for 56 years.

Ada and Paul began their family with the birth of daughter Nancy in 1942, sons Gene and Barry in 1945 and 1948, daughter Janet in 1949 and laurel in 1955.

Paul's "hobbies" consisted of raising Shetland ponies for his children and other children to enjoy, and serving his community. Following his parent's example of being interested and involved in their community, Paul served loyally and long on the Decatur County Fair Board, as a Bloomington Rustlers 4-H club leader, on the Lamoni Creamery Board, the Lamoni Coop elevator board, the Farmers Home Administration board, the Ringgold Co. Mutual Insurance Board and was active live-long in the Republican Party; He served 17 years on the Lamoni school board, working tirelessly on Lamoni school reorganization in the early 1950's.

Paul was a charter member and co-organizer of the Lamoni Lions Club in 1970, serving as its president twice and was secretary for 17 years. He was honored with the Melvin Jones Fellow and Warren Coleman Honorary awards, the highest recognition given in the Lions organization and received his 35 year membership pin just a few weeks ago. At Crown Colony retirement Center, Paul served as president of the Residents' Council for 2 years.

In 1969 Paul was recognized as an Iowa Master Farmer by Wallace's Farmer magazine. Paul enjoyed working his land and was an early innovator raising hogs in confinement. He tiled and terraced his entire farm to protect the watershed for Lake La Shane which supplies the water for the Lamoni community.

Paul liked nothing better than to welcome planned and unplanned company to his house and to reciprocate with planned and unplanned visits to the homes of friends and relatives. Nieces and nephews, grandchildren and others will long treasure the efforts Uncle Paul went to to entertain them with pony and sleigh rides, hay rides, "spook houses" for Halloween parties and wiener roast. He and Ada will long be remembered for their hospitality.

As a child Paul was baptized a member of the Methodist Church. In the early 1950's he was baptized into the community of Christ and served as an ordained Teacher for the rest of his life.

Work on the farm at Tuskeego was made easier with the help of many young and older men and college students throughout the years. They worked together, learning his ways and enjoying camaraderie while weeding beans, fixing fence, picking up corn, planting and harvesting. Occasionally they also, inadvertently, received some counseling.

Ada passed away suddenly in May 1996, leaving Paul very much alone. He farmed for several more years (62 years in total) before health problems and a stroke necessitated his moving into Crown colony retirement Center in Lamoni in September 2002 where he adjusted to group living and became content where in spite of dealing with cancer on an on-going basis. On November 29, 2005 Paul passed away at Decatur County Hospital following a sudden decline in his health.

Paul was preceded in death by his parents, Clement and Mabel Kleese Griffith; brothers Jack and Donald; brother-in-law Wayne Blevins; sisters-in-law Marjorie Thomas and Betty Griffith and granddaughter Mary Kate Griffith.

Survivors include his five children: Nancy Carole Powell and husband Raymond of Creston, IA, gene Allen Griffith and wife Kathy of Geneseo, IL, Barry Leon Griffith and wife Mary Linda Knoxville, Janet Griffith of Des Moines, and Laurel Paul Griffith and wife Anita of Denver, NC; ten grandchildren: Larkin and Noel Powell, Melinda [Griffith] Sutter, Kendal and Robert Griffith, Jewel Griffith, Carrie [Griffith] Dillard, and Megan [Griffith] Peterson, Jedidiah and Levi Griffith; eleven great grandchildren: Tristan Powell, Ellen, Mark and Ben Sutter, Alex Paige and Ford Griffith, Madison, Isabelle and Olivia Griffith, Mary Kate Peterson, and anticipated May arrival of baby of Carrie and Joe Dillard.

Paul is also survived by his sisters, Patricia Dusenberry and husband Harry of West Chester; brothers Ted Griffith and wife Delores of Wellman, and Clement, Jr. Griffith and wife Vivian of Washington, IA; two brothers-in-law: Elbert Thomas and wife Darlene of Lamoni and William Thomas and wife Heralding of Dumont, IA; sister-in-law Mildren Blevins of Rich Hill, MO; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.