Dr. Patricia Conaway Griffin died peacefully with loved ones at her side on Dec. 31, 2017, at Bailey Center Hospice in St. Augustine at the age of 96.
She was born in Visalia, California, on Jan. 30, 1921. Her great-grandfather had traveled from Texas to California in a covered wagon in 1850. The family homesteaded land in the central valley and continued to farm it into the current century. Earlier ancestors had come to the American colonies in the seventeenth century from Ireland and England. Some were part of the Quaker community of Somerset County, Maryland and were early abolitionists. These early American roots were important to Dr. Griffin and inspired her life-long interest in people and history.
She earned a B.A. from the University of California, Berkeley (1943) and an M.A. degree from the University of Chicago (1945). While in Chicago, she met and married John Wallace Griffin of Daytona Beach. First moving to St. Augustine in 1954, she worked several years as teacher and coach at Hastings High School. She then had a long career as a social worker (LCSW) in Richmond, Virginia, Macon, Georgia, and Florida, all while raising five children. She was on the faculty of the Florida State University College of Social Work from 1970 to 1983.
In her sixties, rather than begin the slow withdrawal into old age, Dr. Griffin chose to re-engage. She went back to school, earning a PhD in anthropology from the University of Florida (1988). She proceeded to write or edit numerous articles and several books including Mullet on the Beach: The Minorcans of Florida (1991), Fifty Years of Southeastern Archaeology: the Selected Works of John W. Griffin (1995) and The Odyssey of an African Slave: Sitiki (2009). A fourth volume was left unfinished. Dr. Griffin also took up competitive running at this time, wining trophies for half marathons.
In her early seventies, she emerged from her first bout with late-stage cancer. Friends attributed her survival to her positive attitude and her will to live. In her typical humble manner she retorted, "Fiddlesticks. I had nothing to do with it. It was those medieval chemotherapy poisons that saved me."
Dr. Griffin was active in a number of organizations in St. Augustine, including the St. Augustine Historical Society (researcher and officer), Tri-County Mental Health Service (founder), St. Augustine Council on Aging (first paid director), St. Johns County Sheriff's Department (mental health liaison), Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of St. Augustine (founding member, along with husband John).
She was preceded in death by her parents Vard Conaway and Leta Riggin Conaway, sister Ellen Conaway Brooks, husband John W. Griffin and daughter Leta Griffin. She is survived by her sons Douglas (Carolyn) and Bruce Albert (Jambo), daughters Lona Flocke (Steve) and Elizabeth Gardow (Bruce), nephews Dwight and Malcolm Brooks, niece Martha Heather Haas and ten grandchildren - River Griffin West, John and Xander Griffin, Emma, Ellen, Karl and Walt Flocke, Bruce and Alyssa Eigner and Samantha Gardow.
A friend observed that it seemed appropriate that Dr. Griffin's passing in the last hour of 2017 was accompanied by widespread displays of fireworks. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
A memorial service will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the St. Augustine Historical Society.

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Published by St. Augustine Record on Jan. 21, 2018.

Memories and Condolences
for Patricia Griffin

4 Entries

Palmer Short

January 15, 2021

Pat found something in me that resulted in a long friendship. I wish knew what is was. When she became bedridden I would stop off after visiting my Josh who was suffering from dementia. I would stop at Subway and get her turkey breast sub and a pastry . I would keep her laughing with anecdotes . One day I was exhausted and dozed off. When I awoke. She jokingly said boy you are something else falling asleep when you are supposed to be keeping me amused. She never forgot and reminded me periodically. When she was able we would sit on the porch and recite poetry . I gave her a copy of my favorite book A River Runs Through It by Norman MacLean. She loved it. I'm so glad I was able to be with her in her last days. We found out a lot about each other. I'm reminded of the last line of a poem. As long as I live they will live also for I'm a part of them. I miss you Pat you made feel important.

March 7, 2018

I met Pat at our wedding at the Oldest House in St Augustine in April 1990. Don't recall the meeting, too many people. But when I came down permanently in 1991 it wasn't long before Pat and I became fast friends when I became associated with the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of which Pat was one of the founders. Pat had a great sense of humor and we spent many an hour on her porch telling stories about her growing up in Steinbeck Country and me growing up in Andy Griffith country. Later when she became bed riddden I made a point of visiting as often as possible. I dozed off once and she never let me forget it laughing each time she mentionedit.I'm going to miss those porch talks.

Tom Padgett

January 27, 2018

My condolences to the family. I knew Pat and John Griffin back in the 1970s and have fond memories of them both. John was instrumental in my choice of archaeology as a career.

K Jones

January 26, 2018

Dear Family,
I am sorry to hear of your loss.
Thinking of you all.
With love and prayers, always.

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