Lt. Cmdr Griffin Jr., Joseph G. Age 83 of Mauston

Lt. Cmdr Joseph G Griffin, Jr., USNR, Ret, CRNA, 83, of Mauston, WI, peacefully passed away on September 12, 2021 with family at his side and under the compassionate care of Serenity House hospice in Tomah, WI 

 

Joe was born on December 24, 1937 at home to his parents Joseph and Emma Griffin in Thomaston, GA. His older siblings (Jean, Paul, and Donald) were likely unimpressed with their Christmas present. 

 

After graduating from Perry High School in 1957, he went on to (briefly) study liberal arts at Georgia Southwestern, where he also pole vaulted and was a manager of the basketball team, After a little over a year, he enlisted in the Navy. During his naval career he developed an interest in the medical field and trained in several technical specialties. This ultimately led to his over 30 year career as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist. 

 

After his honorable discharge in 1962, he found his way to nursing school in Minnesota, being only the second male to be accepted into the program at Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing. While working at the Mayo Clinic, he met Karen Gordon, and they wed in 1968, going on to have two children, Cora and Eric. Joe was a steady rock for his family throughout his life, determined to be a provider for them and guide them through actions and not words, as he really wasn’t known to be much of a talker. Joe put family first, always, and was a loyal father and husband. 

 

Joe was also a passionate water skier, woodworker, and R/C airplane pilot and could often be found doing any of those things when he wasn’t at home. He spent most of his retirement spending time with his grandchildren and enjoying time at the family cabin. Anyone who knew Joe knew that he was the most loyal and loving father and husband a family could ask for. Joe was predeceased by his parents, his brother Donald, and his wife Karen. He is survived by his sister Jean, brother Paul, and his 2 children and 3 grandchildren. 

 

There will be a visitation Friday, September 17th at Bethany Lutheran Church in New Lisbon from 4pm to 6pm for friends and family. 

 

Funeral service will be held at 11am, Saturday, September 18th at Bethany Lutheran Church in New Lisbon. Friends and family are welcome to call beginning at 9:30am. 

 

Graveside service will be at 4pm at the Hillside Cemetery in St. Charles, MN. 

 

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the fund they have started in his memory to support Mauston High School Anatomy & Physiology and Bio-technology classes and improvements to the Mauston Outdoor Athletic Complex, directly to the school, or to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.

 

https://everloved.com/life-of/joseph-griffin-jr/donate/

 

His family would like to give special thanks to Dr. Hamid Emamekhoo, UW Carbone Cancer Center, Serenity House Tomah Hospice and all at the Mile Bluff Infusion and Cancer Care.

For online condolences please go to www.crandallfuneral.com

Source: WRJC.com

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