Elbert P. "Griff" Griffith

Elbert P. "Griff" Griffith, 72, died Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009 at Smyth County Community Hospital. He was born May 8, 1936 in Grayson County. He was the son of the late Robert Winfield Griffith and Pansy Ozella Hurt Griffith Phipps. He was retired from the U.S. Army with service in the 82nd Airborne Division and the 5th Special Forces Group Airborne and served five tours in the Vietnam conflict. After retirement from the Army, he worked as a deputy sheriff with the Smyth County Sheriff's Department and as a corrections officer with Marion Correctional Treatment Center in Marion. He was a member of the Chilhowie Masonic Lodge No. 250, Kazim Shriners, and a 32 Degree Scottish Rite, SJ. He was also a member of the DAV, VFW, and a steadfast Democrat. He was a member of the Brookside Baptist Church, Sugar Grove. He enjoyed gardening and sharing the fruits of his harvest with others. He is preceded in death by five brothers, Robert Winfield Griffith Jr., Samuel Terry Griffith, Garnett Howard Griffith, Theodore Eugene Hurt, and Bobby Lawrence Griffith. Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Phyllis Neitch Griffith of Marion; one son, Jeffrey Eugene Griffith and wife, Dawn, of Chilhowie; two daughters, Judy Lynn Griffith Golden and husband, Roger, of Lexington, Ky., and Sabrina Jayne Griffith Rose of Marion; six grandchildren, Heather Renee Puckett Covington and husband, Thomas, Candace Lacey Odell Long, Lauren Paige Golden, Sydney Lynn Golden, Richard Victor Griffith, and Tyler Ryan Rose; two great-grandchildren, Alexis Kate Covington and Ian Christopher Long; and four sisters, Emma Clay Griffith King of Princeton, N.J., Winnie Loretta Griffith Stacey and husband, Ken, of Atlanta, Ga., Mary Ruth Griffith Bonham and husband, Paul, of Winston Salem, N.C., and Martha Jane Griffith Carson and husband, Bill, of Northfield, Ohio. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, Feb. 21, at 8 p.m. at Seaver-Brown Chapel with the Rev. Don Medley and the Rev. Wade Jackson officiating. Masonic rites will be conducted by Chilhowie Masonic Lodge #250 A.F. & A.M. Graveside services will be conducted Sunday, Feb. 22, at 2 p.m. at South Fork Cemetery in Marion, where military rites will be conducted by Marion VFW Post 4667. The family will receive friends Saturday from 6 p.m. until time of the service. Flowers will be appreciated or donations may be made to the Southfork Cemetery Fund, c/o Paul Sturgill, 406 Mosswood Lane, Marion, VA 24354. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the family at www.seaverbrown.com. Seaver-Brown Funeral Service and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.