John William Griffing Sr.

John William Griffing, Sr. John William Griffing, Sr. died peacefully in his sleep Saturday morning, April 18, 2009, at the age of 93. He died of complications following a successful esophageal surgery. John was one of a kind and will be sorely missed by family, friends, and the community of Beeville, TX where he lived for his last 57 years. He will be fondly remembered for his generosity, hard work, humility, sarcastic wit, and his sparkling blue eyes. He was a gentle man, but also tough as a drill-bit- having survived everything from Japanese prison camp to an attack by a rabid bat. He was born December 31, 1915, to Daniel Luther and Gertrude Perry Griffing on a farm near Hubbard, TX. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Doris Gertrude Griffing and Anna Claudine Camp, and two brothers, Dr. Idd Simpson Griffing and Dan Hollis Griffing. He married Geraldine (Gerry) Langford March 7, 1953 in Cleveland, TX. They had three children. Gerry preceded him in death August 21, 1986. Survivors include wife, Nona W. Griffing of Kerrville, TX whom he married on January 5, 1994 in Beeville; son, John William Griffing, Jr and wife Esther of Salinas, CA; daughter, Gayle Griffing Browning and partner Michelle Couden of Austin, TX; son, Dan Langford Griffing and wife Charlotte Franklin of Seattle, WA; four grandchildren, John William Griffing, III and Jacob Andrew Griffing of Salinas, CA, Elyssa Lyn Browning, and Celia Anne Browning of Austin, TX; former son-in-law, Mark Browning of Austin, TX; many nieces and nephews. John served in the U.S. Army (200th Coast Artillery, Anti-Aircraft Battery B) from April 3, 1941 to April 10, 1946, spending 3 1/2 years as a Prisoner of War of the Japanese during WWII. He earned a BS in Petroleum Engineering from University of Texas at Austin in 1950, and was a Registered Professional Engineer for 30 years, 1957-1987. He retired from Amoco in 1981 and worked as a consultant until 1985. He was an active member of the First United Methodist Church of Beeville since 1957 and a life member of the American Legion, VFW, American Ex-POWs, and American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor. The funeral will be held on Saturday April 25th at 4:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church at 106 E. Cleveland St. Beeville, TX. Visitation is Friday from 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. at Galloway Funeral Home at 409 N. Tyler, Beeville, TX. Burial will follow at Beeville Memorial Park. Memorial Donations may be made to: The American Cancer Society