Harold Griffith

Harold E. Griffith went home peacefully to the Lord on February 1, 2025, at the home he has lived in for 52 years.
Harold was born in Fort Morgan on August 6,1940 to Virgil and Eva Griffith. He graduated from Fort Morgan high school in 1958. He married his soul mate and high school sweetheart, Karenjo Yearous on September 19,1960. He was a lifetime member of the First Christian Church and was inducted into the Colorado Agriculture Hall of Fame in 2016.
Survived by his children Melanie (Ronald) Roberts, Christina (Larry) Leis, Sonya (John) Bass, Tracy (Jeff) Padilla, Patience (Doug) Samples, Stephanie McCormack, Virgil (Heidi) Griffith, Chad Griffith and Steve (Shelly) Griffith. Twenty-two grandchildren and 36 great grandchildren and his sister Carol Prevost.
Harold was a passionate and fierce father, raising his family with principles: a moral compass, faith, strong work ethic, integrity, honesty and trustworthiness. His love was strong and unwavering for his family, his faith and farming.
He spent his entire life pursuing his passion for agriculture. Harold and Karenjo began their dairy farming journey in Weldona, CO as they started their family. In 1972, they moved the family to Fort Morgan, Colorado building Griffith Dairy Inc., and Griffith Land Company, LLC, milking cows for more than 50 years. During the last decade of his life, he continued to custom feed dairy heifers. The farm continues on with his youngest son and grandson.
Harold was very passionate about water concerns in Colorado. He served on the Fort Morgan Reservoir and Irrigation Company (FMRICo) board for 47 years (1976-2023) with 26 years as the President. Accomplishments with the FMRICo were: an augmentation plan (taking it all the way through the water court), led the project for purchasing property for the development of recharge sites and a pipeline project to retime excess recharge credits. He facilitated an agreement with Public Service Company, helping from Fort Morgan Water Company. He was on the 1st board of Fort Morgan Water Asset Management Inc., served for 4 years (1991 – 1995). He served on the Jackson Lake Reservoir Irrigation Company for 44 years (1979-2023), with 13 years as the President (2010-2023). His accomplishments were many: storage agreement with PSCo, recreation lease with State Parks, dam refacing project diversion replacement project, inlet fish screen agreement with DOW.
In 2007, appointed by Governor Bill Ritter to serve on the South Platte River Task Force to address drought issues. Served on Farm Bureau for 15 years, 2yrs as President.
One of the things Harold was most passionate about and proud of his participation in the development of the Morgan County 4-H Dairy Catch-It Program: serving as the Chairman.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Karenjo, his father Virgil Griffith, his mom Eva Bentley, his stepfather Merle Bentley, his loving brother Delbert and sisters-JoAnn Graff, Janice Meininger, and Margaret Godo.
Visitation will be Friday, February 7th from 4 – 6 PM at the Heer Mortuary in Fort Morgan.
Funeral services will be Saturday, February 8th at 10:00 AM at First Christian Church in Fort Morgan. Internment will follow in Memory Gardens Cemetery. Everyone is invited after the cemetery to a reception at Riverview Event Center, 19201 County Road 24, Brush, CO. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to First Christian Church, Eben Ezer Lutheran Care Center & Brush High School FFA chapter.