Jim J. Griffin, 90, loving husband and father who lived at The Woodlands at Furman with his wife, Maureen Griffin, died on September 21, 2017.
He was born in a town called Clogheen, County Tipperary, Ireland on March 2, 1927. He was third son of the late Thomas and Esther O’Connor Griffin.
He was an active member of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Greenville.
Jim immigrated from Ireland in 1950 and lived in NY. He entered the US Army in 1951 and served two years overseas during the Korean War. When he left the Army, he worked for the NY City Transit Authority and retired after 25 years of service.
He met and married his loving wife, Maureen, who immigrated from Ireland in 1956.
After retirement, they left NY for a warmer climate to Charlotte, NC where they opened an Irish pub and restaurant “The Red Blazer”. After 10 years, they retired again and split their time between their home in the Pebble Creek community in Greenville, SC and The Villages in FL.
Jim was a member of Pebble Creek Golf Club where he joined the group called The Golden Boys; he considered them his dear friends. He enjoyed playing golf with them 3 days a week up until he and Maureen moved to The Woodlands at Furman in 2014.
On the morning of September 21st, he was rushed to the hospital and shortly thereafter entered into the Lord’s loving, gentle arms.
Known by those closest to him as the “Gentle Giant”, Jim was always there for others, touching their lives and helping them in his own quiet way. He will be greatly missed.
In addition to his loving wife of 57 years, he is survived by two sons, Thomas M. and his wife, Renee, of Easley, and James G., of Greenville; a sister, Pauline, and her husband, Graham Scott of Ireland; four brothers, Tom, and his wife, Lenora, of Mississippi, Michael of NY, John, and his wife, Peggy of Ireland, and Liam of Scotland; four grandchildren, Joshua and Jeremy Black, Jacob Griffin, and Kristy Anderson; and five great- grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his siblings, Betty Walsh, Patrick, and Edward Griffin.
A recitation of the Rosary will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 28, 2017 at Thomas McAfee Funeral Home, Downtown with visitation following until 7:30 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 12:00 o’clock noon on Friday, September 29 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the Alzheimer’s Association by visiting www.act.alz.org.
