Alan William GRIFFIN I

Age 79 of St. Paul, MN, formerly of Biloxi, MS, passed away peacefully February 3, 2022, after battling lung cancer. Alan was born in Biloxi, MS, but spent most of his childhood in central Illinois. Alan graduated from the Spalding Institute in Peoria, IL, before continuing on to Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI, where he studied history and philosophy. After graduating from college, Alan moved to the Twin Cities to work at Burroughs Corporation where he met his wife, Sharon. His career there was followed by jobs at Systems Supply, Inc., Seagate, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, and the Minneapolis Star Tribune, from which he retired. In his free time, Alan was a hunting and fishing enthusiast and greatly enjoyed reading about history and a wide range of science topics. He also enjoyed boxer dogs, cats of all kinds, photography, and fixing up bikes for neighborhood kids. He was preceded in death by his parents, William D., I and Laura Griffin; his birth mother, Edith Woolley; his wife of 50 years, Sharon; brother Richard (Barbara); and brother-in-law Dennis Suits. Alan is survived by his children, Amy (Matt Beaty), Alan W., II (Kati), Gillian (Michele Thornton), and Gretchen (Benjamin Leak); siblings Carolyn (Elliot) Vick, William D., II, Mary Alysa Suits, and Margaret Wilson; grandchildren, Henry, Samuel, and Harriet; and many other loving nieces, nephews, family, friends, cat Sophie, and dog Albert. Interment of ashes at 10:00AM Friday, October 14th, 2022, at Acacia Park Cemetery, 2151 Pilot Knob Road, Mendota Heights, MN. Memorial gathering to follow immediately in the Acacia Park Cemetery chapel. In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to the BIPOC in the Outdoors program (https://tinyurl.com/3kx6trph) or the Express Bike Shop apprentice program (https://tinyurl.com/233ktjk4).