Virginia Griffing

1927 - 2021

Virginia Griffing

Virginia Griffing passed away on September 1, 2021 at the age of 93. She was born on December 24, 1927 in Manhattan, Kansas, to Lilith Roberts Gingrich and Randolph Forney Gingrich. She attended Kansas State University, graduating as valedictorian, and remained a Wildcat fan all of her life.

Virginia married Richard Brewer Griffing in 1949. After Richard finished medical school, they moved their family to Great Falls, Montana, in 1956 in order to be close to both the mountains and plains. They were active in the Great Falls community, but Virginia's focus was the Montana League of Women Voters, of which she was President from 1960 to 1968. Virginia, along with good friends, Margery Brown and Arlyne Reichert, were very active in Montana politics and instrumental in getting legislation passed for a new constitutional convention in Montana. In her lobbying efforts, Virginia helped lay the groundwork for the progressive measures in the 1972 Montana Constitution.

In 1968, Virginia moved to Missoula where she pursued a passion for Montana history and wrote a small Montana history text book with Margery Brown to be used in high schools. She later graduated from the University of Montana School of Law, focusing on Indian law. In 1981, she moved to the Flathead Indian Reservation to open a small law practice, and shortly thereafter began a long association with the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. She felt her greatest accomplishment was helping CSKT develop a skilled legal department as part of the tribal government in Pablo, Montana, rather than relying upon expensive out-of-state counsel. Evelyn Stevenson, John Carter, and Danny Decker all worked hard to make the CSKT legal unit one of the best in the country and provide a strong foundation for tribal self-determination. Virginia loved working for the Tribes and, in many ways, this was the happiest time of her life.

Virginia retired in 1998 and moved to Choteau, Montana, where she could be close to the Rocky Mountain Front and the family cabin located on the South Fork of the Teton River. She gained some good friends in Choteau, especially Polly Cunningham. The two of them spent many hours together discussing Montana politics and history.

Virginia is survived by her three children, Stanton and his wife Betsy, Larry and his wife Margaret Ezell, and daughter Betsy along with her Betsy's ex-husband, Lee Heiman, who has remained close to the family. She is also survived by eight grandchildren and 15 great grand children.

Virginia's family wishes to thank Beehive Homes of Helena, especially Lynette Hecker for her long and kind care in the last years of Virginia's life. Memorials may be sent to the Salish Kootenai College Foundation, 58138 US Highway 93, P.O. Box 70, Pablo, MT 59855 foundation@skc.edu, 406-275-4983 or to Bright Eyes Animal Shelter, 175 State Highway 221, Choteau, MT 59422.