Henry Griffoul

1922 - 2011

Henry Griffoul
Resident of San Jose
May 9, 1922 - June 11, 2011
Saturday, June 11, one of San Jose's proudest sons died peacefully at home, succumbing to the combined effects old age, natural causes, and a life lived completely. At Henry Griffoul's side was his wife Eileene, in the house they had built together in 1947 and in which they had celebrated 66 years of marriage. He was 89 years old. San Jose High School grad, Pearl Harbor survivor, war veteran, self-taught engineer, master machinist, and successful business owner, Henry Griffoul's first priority was always his family and nothing brought him greater pleasure than having his children, grandchildren, and great-grand daughter gathered at the family home in San Jose.
Henry Maurice Griffoul was the child of French immigrants, Henri and Sylvie, who had come separately through Ellis Island and met in the vibrant French community that arose around the mills and fine metal works of Rhode Island in the early 1900's. Shortly after his birth, the family relocated to California where his father, a master foundryman and pattern maker, had an idea for a new way to dry the French plums into prunes. The orchards of Santa Clara County welcomed the young family, and Henry grew up on N. 11th Street and then in early Willow Glen on Newport Ave.
Restless in paradise, Henry was already a year into the Naval Reserve by the time he graduated from high school in 1940. December 7, 1941, found him in Hawaii, making his way back to his ship after a night of liberty, and he was one of the first sailors to witness the attack on Pearl Harbor. His ship, the destroyer USS Phelps (DD 360) was undamaged in the attack and would spend the next four years in the thick of the Pacific war, serving in 12 major engagements that included Coral Sea, Midway, and Guadalcanal. The Phelps' luck nearly ran out in Saipan, June 1944, when it was heavily damaged by shore batteries while providing close fire support to advancing American troops. As Machinist Mate First Class, Henry was tasked with running the engines in the #1 engine room (where, he assured his mother, he was safely below decks and out of harm's way). One of the enemy shells hit the bridge, and another went directly down the blower tube into the #2 fire room, killing its crew and cutting the destroyer's power output in half. Somehow, the ship survived the engagement, but its damages were so severe they could not be handled at Pearl Harbor or in any of the west coast yards. The Phelps made the slow trip to the Brooklyn Navy Yard for a thorough refit and a welcomed respite after 2 years at sea.
It was in Brooklyn that Henry met a young Irish American woman named Eileene Durkin, and by the time the Phelps had completed its refit only a few weeks later, they were married. It would be years before Henry's mother learned that Eileene, a tall good-looking brunette, was in fact not a dancer at Minski's but had actually worked in accounts receivable at Squibb's Pharmaceuticals.
After the war Henry returned to San Jose with his young bride to briefly work in his father's foundry on Pomona Ave. He left that to work nearby at Westinghouse making steam turbine blades, ironically, nearly identical to those in his old engine room. An opportunity at San Jose Steel to join, and then run the fence division in the early 50's continued his professional advancement until 1953, when he and a partner started Alloy Wire Belt Co., a manufacturer of wire conveyance systems that grew from a rented workshop on Phelan Ave. to a multi-building production facility built on property purchased next door. As his company grew, so did his family, so that by 1957 two daughters and two sons filled the house, which had already been added onto three times.
Henry brought to his family life the lessons he had learned aboard ship and in shops. All of his children received unstinting support, whether it be in Boy Scouts, artistic endeavors, or athletic competition. He could rebuild a potter's wheel or a track bike with equal alacrity, and his help was never the stuff of sacrifice; he was just there when needed with a quiet competence and the simple pride of a job well done. Those values of quality, fairness, and responsibility were gifts that, more than any other part of his generosity, enriched his family and made his friends the life-long variety.
Following his retirement in 1980, Henry once again sought to "see the world," this time with Eileene as they enjoyed wonderful tours of the United States and Europe, as well as making a number of return visits to Pearl Harbor. He was an active member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors organization and the USS Phelps shipmate group, and enjoyed "hitting the beach" again with former shipmates in cities all around the country. He also volunteered his professional expertise to SIRS International, and with Eileen provided many hours of service to the Cripple Children's' Society of Santa Clara County.
He is survived by his wife Eileene, daughter Maureene Hay (Rick), son Richard Griffoul (Laura), daughter Michelle Griffoul, and son Matthew Griffoul (Sharon). Each of his four children has two children, a girl and a boy each. Henry enjoyed that accidental symmetry, and especially liked the fact that all his children continue to reside in California.
Funeral service, Thursday 6/16/2011 at 11 AM at Lima Family Santa Clara, 466 N. Winchester Blvd. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the charity of your choice.