Richard Earl Griffin

Richard Earl Griffin passed away in Logan, Utah on Monday, July 12, 2004. He was ready to ?go home? and join his beloved wife Merle. Richard was born June 9, 1922 in Clarkston, Utah to Dewey and Alice Jane Davies Griffin. He lived there while growing up and then embarked on a lifetime of travel and service. Richard served in the U.S. Army Air Corp from 1943 to 1945. He was flying a mission as the engineer-gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress in February 1945. His plane was shot down over Austria and he was taken as a Prisoner of War. He recalled what a great day it was when General George Patton rode into his prison camp and announced the end of the war. After returning home, he was called to serve as a missionary for the LDS Church in the Northern California mission. He came home and married Merle Woolley in the Logan LDS temple on June 9, 1948. Richard was an Agricultural Engineer, specializing in water irrigation. He worked many years for the USU Extension Service. During his career he lived and/or worked all over the world. He worked in Brazil, Iran, Honduras, El Salvador, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Bolivia, China and Peru. After retiring, he and Merle served two missions together; Lagos, Nigeria - 1986-87 and Deseret Ranch, Orlando, Flordia - 1991. Merle got sick while they were serving in Florida and passed away in 1992. He was very lonely after her death and was truly blessed and lucky to marry Lula Anderson in 2000. She has been an absolute angel to him in his later years. We, as a family, thank her for her unselfish care and companionship. Richard is survived by his four adopted children that they ?just went to the store and bought? making them an eternal family: Jim Ronda Griffin, Payson, Utah; Allan Sue Griffin, West Jordan, Utah; Suzanne Casey Gallagher, Sprague River, Oregon; Marianne Fifield, Shasta Lake, California; 13 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren; one brother and six sisters all living in Utah. A viewing will be held Friday, July 16, 2004 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Nelson Funeral Home, 162 East 400 North, Logan, Utah. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 17 at 11:00 a.m. at the Hillcrest 2nd Ward Chapel, 875 North 1500 East, Logan, Utah, with a viewing 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. prior to services. Burial will take place in the Clarkston Utah Cemetery. Condolences may be extended to the family online at www.nelsonfuneralhome.com .