Don Ray Griffin

Don Ray Griffin, 88, of Waco, Texas passed away Tuesday January 28, 2020. Visitation will be 6 to 8 P.M. Friday, Jan. 31, 2020, at Grace Gardens Funeral Home Chapel, 8220 Woodway Dr. The funeral service will be 1:00 P.M. Saturday Feb. 1, 2020, in the Chapel of Grace Gardens Funeral Home with Rev. Gene Bryson officiating.  Interment, with Naval Honors, will follow in Oakwood Cemetery.

Don was born Sept. 5, 1931, the son of the late John E. and Neva S. ( Brown) Griffin in Wichita Falls, Texas.  Don graduated from Wichita Falls Senior High. He graduated from Southern Methodist University with a BBA in advertising and continued on to earn his MBA in Marketing from St. Mary’s University in San Antonio.

Don served in the United States Navy as a medical corpsman in the Korean War.  He received the Good Conduct Medal and the National Defense Service Ribbon.

Don was married to Margaret Dickson and of that union, were born three children Michael, Susan, and Toby. He was Vice president of Foremost Dairies in San Antonio, Texas during this time of his life.

On March 8, 1974, Don married Dianne in the Little Church of La Villita in San Antonio and he became the stepfather of Jerrilyn.  Don and Dianne enjoyed a wonderful marriage of 45 years together.

Don and Dianne moved to Waco to be the Assistant General Manager of Pure Milk, now Oak Farms.  In 1979, he was promoted to General Manager of Pure Milk.  Then, he worked as the National Sales Manager for Cal-Tex Citrus Juice Inc. for 2 years.  In 1984, he became the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Tshirts Plus.  He ended his working career by choosing a less stressful financial responsibility for companies, by being a sales representative for personal pagers and answering services to many companies, doctors, and hospitals.

Don was an avid golfer and served as treasurer for Cottonwood Senior League.  He loved the camaraderie and played sometimes four times a week, at Cottonwood Creek Golf Course, Battle Lake, and Lake Waco Golf Course.  He proudly served as director and fundraising chairman for the Northwest Waco Rotary Club.

Don was always a jovial and happy person and when you asked how everything was he would reply, “Terrrrrific!”  Don was also a true dog lover to our little Lucy, Groben, and Max. During Don’s cancer battle in 2006, Max never left his side.

He was preceded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife, Dianne, and his children Michael Griffin and Lee Anne Frost of Burleson, Susan Reynolds and husband David of Reno, NV, and Toby Day and husband Bob of Manchaca, Texas  and step-daughter Jerrilyn Poteet and husband Curtis of Lorena.  Grandchildren Matt Reynolds and wife Jen, grandson Jack Reynolds, Jacob Duncan and wife Ashley, and Gena and husband Michael Evans.  Step-granddaughters, Amanda Byrd and husband Aaron of Waco, Amy Kuehl and husband Matt of Troy, and Alicia Parker and husband Ty, of Hewitt.  Don was blessed to be a great-grandfather to 8 great-grandchildren.  Stepsisters Julie Simonson and husband David of McKinney, Linda Popple and husband Phil of Arlington.

The family expresses their sincere appreciation to the fourth floor nurses at Ascension Providence and the staff of Providence Hospice Place for their excellent care of Don.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to Fuzzy Friends Rescue, Alzheimer’s Association, and American Diabetes’ Association.