Oscar O'Neal Griffin Jr.

Oscar O'Neal Griffin, Jr. passed away Wednesday Nov. 23, 2011, age 78, quietly at his home in New Waverly, TX after a short battle with cancer with his family by his side. His memory and love will always be with us. We will long remember his sense of humor and generous spirit.

He is preceded in death by his parents Myrtle Edgar and Oscar Griffin. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Patricia Lamb Griffin, brother Red Griffin, sister Peggy Marino, daughter and husband Gwendolyn and Philip Pryor, daughter and husband Amanda and Alan Ward, son and wife Gregory and Jennifer Griffin, daughter Marguerite Griffin, and grandchildren Rebecca, Matthew, Griffin and Lauren Ward, Hannah Pryor, John and Emma Griffin.

Oscar was born April 28, 1933, in Daisetta, TX. He graduated from Liberty (TX) High School in 1950, and served his country in the United States Army from 1953-1955. He went on to graduate from the University of Texas at Austin in 1958 with a Bachelor of Journalism. In 1982 he received his MBA from the Harvard School of Business.

Oscar spent much of his early career in journalism. He was a reporter for the Liberty Vindicator, editor of the Canyon (TX) News, editor of the Pecos (TX) Independent and special assignments reporter for the Houston Chronicle.

From the beginning, Oscar received continuous recognition for his excellence in writing, such as awards from the Dept. of Defense, the Texas Newspaper Association and Sigma Delta Chi national journalistic society Distinguished Service Award, The Headliners Foundation award for journalism reality, Southwestern Journalism Forum Certificate of Recognition in Reporting. In 1963, he became the first graduate of the University of Texas to receive the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished local journalism as a result of a series of articles leading to the arrest of Billie Sol Estes. Later he worked as White House Correspondent for the Houston Chronicle where he traveled with and reported on President Lyndon Johnson. Under the Nixon Administration Oscar served as the Public Information Officer for the US Transportation Department.

After leaving Washington, Oscar returned to Texas and the oil patch taking over his father's company Griffin Well Service and later founded Crossroads Oil Field Supply, both in El Campo, TX. In 1986 he returned to journalism as editor of The Mosaic while working for Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston. Oscar also wrote a book entitled The Three Wars of Roy Benavidez with Roy Benavidez, a chilling account of the battle that earned Master Sgt. Roy Benavidez the Medal of Honor. In his later years, Oscar moved to New Waverly (TX) where he worked as a tax preparer for H&R Block and enjoyed his four children, two sons in law, daughter in law and seven grandchildren.

The visitation will be held from 5 pm until 7 pm, with a rosary service at 7 pm, Thursday, December 1, 2011 in the Chapel at Sam Houston Memorial Funeral Home, 10129 FM 1097, Willis, TX. A Mass of Christian burial is set for 11 am, Friday, December 2, 2011, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 101 Elmore St., New Waverly, TX. Interment will follow in Liberty City Cemetery at 3 pm.

You are invited to leave a written condolence to the family on our website at www.shmfh.com.