Thomas M. Griffin

1932 - 2022

Thomas M. Griffin
September 11, 1932 - July 14, 2022
Tega Cay, South Carolina - Thomas "Tom" Milton Griffin III, 89, of Tega Cay, SC went peacefully to be with his Lord and Savior surrounded by family on July 14, 2022.
He is now waiting in Heaven to be joined by the love of his life and wife of 49 years, Ellen Abigail "Gail" Bond Griffin. He will be greatly missed by daughters, Gloria Griffin Fogle of High Point, NC, Marjorie Krista Burns of Fort Mill, SC, Elizabeth "Zibi" Edwards Stone and her husband, Jonathan of Fort Mill, SC, and sons, Thomas Milton Griffin IV and his wife, Leia of Clover, SC and Matthew George Griffin of Rock Hill, SC.
He was the loving grandfather to Shannon Fogle Atwell and Alora Joann Fogle of Concord, NC, Thomas "Tommy" Milton Griffin V and Christian Anthony Griffin of Clover, SC, Isabella Victoria Stone, Shepherd Winfield Stone, Ava Abigail Griffin, Cole Thomas Griffin and Lila Jocelyn Griffin of Fort Mill, SC. Additionally, Tom leaves behind four great-grandchildren: Carter J. Atwell, Christopher James Gibson Jr. and Winter Rose Gibson of Concord, NC and Helena Moon Perez of Brownsville, TX.
Tom was born in Taylors, SC on September 11, 1932, the only child of the late Thomas Milton "Milt" Griffin Jr. and the late Virginia Shannon Griffin. He was a 1950 graduate of North Augusta High School (North Augusta, SC) where he lettered in basketball and baseball and was on the 1949 State Championship baseball team. In his spare time, he managed to achieve Eagle Scout certification just prior to his 18th birthday. He graduated from Clemson University in 1954 with a Bachelor of Science in textile manufacturing and from The Georgia Institute of Technology with a Master of Science in textiles in 1960. In between those two degrees and in typical overachieving fashion, he served our country in two branches of the armed services and was honorably discharged from both the Navy and the Army. He had a well-respected and successful 50-year career in textile sales and engineering for Riegel Textile Corporation, BASF, Southern Sizing Corporation, Chemlan and Griffin Chemical.
When he wasn't working or enjoying time with his family, you could find him "hitting a few" (golf), "wetting a hook" (fishing), enjoying his 2nd Amendment rights (shooting), watching his beloved Clemson Tigers, savoring every bite of Gail's amazing cooking or treating friends and family to meals at local restaurants.
Tom started reading the Bible in 1978 with the sole intent to prove Gail wrong after she accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior. But the Lord had His own soul intent, and the Holy Spirit "rode his @#*" until the truth of the Bible changed Tom's life. He had a sincere heart for the Lord and an anointed passion for levity. His faith and wit were the pillars of his personality. He was always at the ready with a prayer or a joke - you never knew which you were going to get, but it was always what you needed. Being generous gave Tom great joy, and the Lord worked through him and Gail in a mighty way.
He gave of himself his whole life whether in deed, service, or meeting the tangible needs of the people God placed in his path. Tom also gladly volunteered his time as an usher at Central Church of God in Charlotte for over twenty years. He did everything big: he lived big, he gave big, and he loved big.
A Celebration of Life will be held at Greene Funeral Home Northwest Chapel, 2133 Ebenezer Road, Rock Hill, SC at 3pm on Saturday, July 23, 2022. The family will receive friends following the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in memory of Tom to: International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, 303 East Wacker Drive, Suite 2300, Chicago, IL 60601-5224, Donate | International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (ifcj.org) or Clemson Forever, Clemson University Foundation, Annual Giving Office, PO Box 1889, Clemson, SC 29633-1889, https://iamatiger.clemson.edu/giving.
Condolences may be made to the Griffin family at www.greenefuneralhome.net.