Richard Earl Griffin

Richard E. Griffin, 74, of Carthage, died at 7:05 A.M. Saturday, June 15, 2019, at the La Harpe Davier Care Center after a short battle with cancer.

Dick was born March 28, 1945, in Kansas City, Missouri, the son of Frank and Ginger (Furlong) Griffin.  The young family moved to Carthage after WWII, then briefly farmed near Denver, and then moved back to Carthage when Dick was five years old, where he spent the rest of his childhood.  As the family all helped to run the business, the Lake Inn, Dick did his share, mowing the yard, picking up trash, cleaning floors and bathrooms, and cleaning fish and slopping fish guts on Karen’s legs.

Dick graduated from Carthage Community High School in 1963 and attended Carthage College.  In 1965 he entered the United States Air Force, where he served 22 years, being deployed and/or stationed in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Germany, and other places.  After he retired from the Air Force, Dick worked for MCI in St. Louis as a satellite communications technician until he retired and moved back to Carthage.

Dick loved fishing, loved his dogs, Sequoia and Fet, and his cat, Cinnamon, and his family: sister, Karen Andrews and her daughter Shannon and her son Damian; his brother, Stacy and his wife Terri of Omak Washington, their children, Bill (wife Danica) Griffin of Spokane, Washington, and their children: Luke, Lauryn, Cece and Cameron; and Ginny (husband Dylan) Ekins, also of Spokane, and their daughter Olivia.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Dick was a kind and generous man, and we will miss him.

Graveside services will be held at 11:00 A.M. Thursday, June 20, 2019, at Moss Ridge Cemetery in Carthage with full military rites rendered by the Unites States Air Force and the Hancock County Honor Guard.  Memorials may be directed to MDH Hospice of Macomb.  Printy Funeral Home of Carthage is in charge of arrangements.

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