Elizabeth GRIFFIN

Neil
Aug 12, 1927 - Feb 8, 2007

Elizabeth
Oct 10, 1928 - Dec 29, 2020

*Obituary

Elizabeth Virginia Nichols Griffin completed her life’s journey and transitioned into Heaven on December 29, 2020, at Baptist Reynolds Hospice House.

Elizabeth, originally from Cordova,TN, attended Memphis State and worked for Bell Telephone Company until marrying the love of her life, Neil Griffin, in 1954. They were married for fifty-three years. One of her favorite memories was the surprise Fiftieth Wedding Anniversary Party Neil planned for her in 2003. Their marriage was a partnership, and they always worked together whether farming her parent’s farm early in the marriage or in their many business ventures. After retiring, they traveled all fifty states in the continental United States and in Canada and Mexico. Together they were faithful members of Bellevue Baptist Church, supported those in ministry there, and began regularly attending the annual Southern Baptist Conventions. While attending these conventions, they became aware of the needs of young ministers attending seminary, and this became the focus of their lives. After Neil’s death, Elizabeth joined Faith Baptist Church in Bartlett and moved to The Village of Germantown. There she made lasting friends and participated in the various activities offered. She enjoyed hosting birthday dinners in the Monarch Room honoring friends and family. She founded a Memphis chapter of Widows’ Might, a prayer ministry which grew to more than fifty participants, and hosted luncheons at The Village twice a year for this organization. Elizabeth was currently a member of the Development Council of Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, and a lifetime member in the J. Howard Williams Society and the Naylor Society at Southwestern Baptist Seminary. In 2017 Southwestern Seminary awarded Elizabeth with the B.H. Carroll Award. This achievement is the highest award given to honorees actively engaged in the life and ministry of Southwestern who have given sacrificial and significant gifts to the seminary and have a life and witness consistent with the Christian mission. Along with others, she helped to provide the original vision for the Baptist Heritage Center completed in 2018. Elizabeth will be remembered by all as a prayer warrior and a devout Christian who found joy in serving others and encouraging young, aspiring ministers to attend seminary. Her interest and support in Love Worth Finding, Mid-America Seminary, and Sandy Creek Foundation will long be remembered.

To cherish her memory, Elizabeth is survived by her nephews Charles Ray Griffin and William Neil Griffin (Elise) of Memphis and a niece, Carolyn Griffin Keathley (Naymond),of Waco, TX, and numerous great-nieces and nephews and her life-long friends, Joyce Rogers and Betty Palmer.

Elizabeth was preceded in death by her parents, Lillian and James Nichols of Cordova,TN, her husband, Neil Griffin, a sister, Lorena Nichols Bernard, and a nephew, John Lewis Griffin.

Due to Covid restrictions, a graveside service will be held on Monday, January 4th, at 10:00 a.m., Cordova Community Cemetery, 8707 Fay Road, Cordova, TN. In lieu of flowers, the family requested any memorials be sent to Mid-American Baptist Theological Seminary and Love Worth Finding Ministry, both located in Memphis.

*Obituary

NEIL GRIFFIN , went home to be with the Lord on February 8, 2007 at Baptist Memorial Hospital-Memphis. He was born August 12, 1927 in Jackson, TN. After living in Jackson and Acton, TN, and Tupelo, MS, he came to Memphis at the age of 16. Mr. Griffin worked in the food and hotel business; in 1954, he married Elizabeth Nichols; in 1968, he designed and built the Lamplighter Motor Inn and they operated it for 12 years. After he retired, he went into real estate and banking with his nephew, William Neil Griffin . They both had banking interests in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee, and he was a Director at Brighton Bank in Brighton, TN. Mr. Griffin and his wife attended the Southern Baptist Convention every year and would travel after the convention. They traveled in every state in the Continental United States; also in Canada and Mexico. In 2004, Neil and his nephews and nieces surprised his wife with a lovely 50th anniversary party. He and his wife have been members of Bellevue Baptist Church for many years. He is a former active Deacon of Bellevue, is a member of the Development Council of Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, a member of the board of visitors of Southeastern Theological Seminary, and a member of the President's Advisory Council of Southwestern Baptist Seminary. His friends will remember him as a person who was always ready to help a friend in need, but didn't want everyone to know what he had done. He did not want to be recognized in public. Mr. Griffin is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Griffin ; sister, Nancy Griffin ; nephews, Charles Ray Griffin , Will Griffin and wife, Elise; niece, Carolyn Griffin Keathley and husband, Naymond Keathley; nephew, John Lewis Griffin , and great-nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. Friday, February 9 at Memphis Funeral Home Poplar. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, February 10 at Bellevue Baptist Church in Cordova, with the interment to follow at Cordova Cemetery. The family has requested memorials to be sent to Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary or Dr. Adrian Rogers' Love Worth Finding. Memphis Funeral Home

(Published in The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, TN, on Feb. 9, 2007)

*Photo courtesy of:
Annette Shaw

Contributed on 3/2/21 by hawkinsdonna48
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