Dale Speicher Griffin

Dale Speicher Griffin was born January 10, 1916 in Salem, Illinois. He was the son of Frank Orville and Nina Margaret (Speicher) Griffin. Dale moved with his family at the age of three to Cleveland, Oklahoma where he attended school, graduating from Cleveland High School in 1933. He and his father were the first father and son to graduate from Cleveland High School.

While attending high school, Dale accepted employment with the Sinclair Service Station and later purchased and operated the station for several years. Dale met the love of his life, Maxine Butler at the Cleveland Skating Rink in 1939. The couple skated through their engagement and were married thirteen months later on July 14, 1940. They were married by H. C. Williams at the parsonage of the First Christian Church, the church where Dale was baptized. During his active membership in the church, Dale served as Sunday School Superintendent, Treasurer and on the Board of Elders.

Dale later accepted employment as the parts manager of Moss Chevrolet in Pawnee where he worked for nearly seven years and then accepted the same position with Moss-Griffin Chevrolet in Cleveland for the next seven years. The couple then moved to Silver Bell, Arizona when Dale accepted employment as a warehouse manager for the American Smelting and Refining Company (ASARCO). He worked for nearly twenty-nine years for ASARCO, retiring in 1983. Upon his retirement, the couple had a summer home in Vallecito, Colorado and wintered in McAllen, Texas. They RV'd nearly everywhere in between and beyond, as far north as Alaska, throughout Canada, in every state in the Union and then south into Mexico. Additionally the couple were world travelers, spending time in Ireland, Scotland, France, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, Tahiti, Australia, New Zealand and the Bahamas. They returned to Cleveland in 1996.

Dale passed away at his home in Cleveland on Saturday, January 29, 2005 at the age of eighty-nine years and nineteen days. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister and a daughter, Cheryl Sue.

He is survived by his wife of sixty-four years, Maxine of the home; son, Jeff Griffin, Tulsa, Oklahoma; daughter, Darla Watters, Austin, Texas; five grandchildren, Cydney King Burns, Austin, Texas, Michelle Griffin Rockey, Independence, Kansas, Jennifer Griffin Steele, Tulsa, Oklahoma, Kristi Lynn Cooke, Trinidad, Colorado and Matt Douglas Griffin, Pearland, Texas; six great-grandchildren, Parker Rockey, Kate Rockey, Connor Rockey, Lukas Cooke, Eiley Cooke and Camdyn Steele; brother, Jean Griffin, Joplin, Missouri; and a sister-in-law, Willa Jo Stephens, Cleveland, Oklahoma.

Memorial services will be held at 11:00 am, Tuesday, February 1, 2005 at the First Christian Church in Cleveland with Emile Bayouth, Dick Risinger and Stony Capehart officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the Saint Francis Hospice, 6600 S YALE AVE STE 350, Tulsa, OK 74136, American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 102454, Atlanta, GA 30368-2454 or the charity of your choice.