Obituary: Griffith, Robert Carson “Bob”
Age 88
Marian, his loving wife of 66 years, and their four children were able to say their final goodbyes.
Bob was born in Spokane, Washington on March 4, 1926.
He grew up in Spokane and Yakima.
He graduated early from Lewis and Clark High School in Spokane so he could enlist in the Navy on his 18th birthday in 1944.
He served in Pacific during WW II.
He and Marian continued their courtship through letters while he was in the service.
Bob and Marian both attended Washington State College, as it was known back then.
They moved to Spokane after two years of college and married in 1948 on Halloween.
He took night classes at Whitworth College so he could be promoted at Chevron Oil Company.
They were active in Northwood Presbyterian Church where he was an elder and one of five founding organizers.
They spent most of their years living in a Spokane north side neighborhood before Chevron transferred Bob and his family to Seattle.
He retired from Chevron after 38 years of dedicated service.
Bob was a dedicated assistant Scout Master in Spokane for several years and a Scout Master in Edmonds for several more years.
He enjoyed the boys, the camping, and being in the out-of-doors.
Bob, Marian, their four children, his brother-in-law, his father, his father-in-law, and anyone else who could swing a hammer or hold a paintbrush, built a house in Edmonds.
All four children graduated from high school in Edmonds.
Several years after the children had moved out, they moved to smaller house outside Longview overlooking the Columbia River.
Instead of battling the Seattle area crowds and traffic, they loved the elk in their yard, watching the deer eating their peaches, pears and apples, and didn’t mind the occasional raccoon eating the cat’s food or the occasional bat in the house.
They enjoyed listening to the screams of eagles, the barking of sea lions, and the blasts of a ship’s foghorn.
Bob enjoyed many outdoor activities with his family.
They first went tent camping and later took up backpacking.
He and Marian thoroughly enjoyed their sailboat for 15 years, sailing in the San Juan or Canadian Gulf Islands each summer.
Their next adventures were with their fifth-wheel trailer.
Their trailer was home for them when they joined MMAP, Mobile Missionary Assistant Program, where they helped repair or build camps, schools and churches.
Bob was active in the Longview Community Church.
He served 19 years as Chairman of the Community Partners Committee that managed the Sylvan Lodge.
He was proud of his role supervising the management of the apartment building owned by the Community Church.
Each resident with a disability was a special person to him.
He took interest in each resident and also took great comfort knowing he was helping people who needed some help.
He is survived by his wife, Marian, and his four children, Chris Griffith (Colleen) of Ellensburg, WA, Dave Griffith (Lucy) of Dana Point, CA, Bob Griffith (Jammie Axon) of Longview, and Jan Griffith of Uddevalla, Sweden.
Also surviving him are five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
He is also survived by his sister Dotty Charlson of Edmonds, WA.
A Celebration of his Life will be held at the Longview Community Church on Saturday, January 17, 2015 at 11:00AM.