Marie E. Griffin

SOUTHBURY - Marie E. Griffin of Southbury, CT (formerly of Waterbury, CT) died in Southbury, CT on August 31, 2017, after a short illness. She was 94. She was the widow of Walter R. Griffin, an attorney in Waterbury.

Marie Elizabeth Elmer Griffin was born on August 20, 1923 in Devonshire, New Jersey, the daughter of Walter Elmer and Ethel M. Elmer. After her father's untimely passing, she moved with her mother and siblings to a Philadelphia suburb to live with family. She graduated from Jenkintown High School in 1941. Upon her graduation, she went to work in the war effort in Philadelphia, where she worked as a civilian employee and serendipitously met Walter Griffin when he reported to duty at that office, and was mustered into the unit by her on her birthday in 1943. The two of them fell in love and married in 1948.

Marie Griffin was the quintessential wife and mother. Together with her husband Walter, they forged a partnership in life, supporting Walter's work and raising five children. Marie ran the family home with a level of organization reflecting her Swiss heritage, but hidden behind her always sweet disposition, bright smile, caring manner and loving style. When the children began their educations at Bunker Hill School, she always had each child ready to go in the morning, prepared for the day whether that meant a jacket because it was chilly or boots or rubbers because it was snowy or rainy. When the children walked home from school for lunch, she was ready, with sandwiches or some other delicious meal, before sending the children off for the afternoon school session. After school, she oversaw the children's homework being completed in the breakfast nook. All of the children learned to participate in household chores, clearing the table, helping to do the dishes, cooking, cleaning, changing their beds, learning to sew, and taking on other family tasks as well - mowing the lawn and shoveling the driveway and sidewalks. She created a wonderful, memorable and happy home for her entire family.

Marie discovered and enjoyed yoga as an exercise well before it became a popular form of exercise. She was a left-handed tennis player, which drew comments from the children because she wrote with her right hand. She then related the story of having been forced to change to right-handed writing by a teacher early in her life. She was an excellent bridge player, and many of her lifelong friendships were with the bridge club ladies. The bridge club families all became close and the children of those families became lifelong friends as well. She was a deeply religious person, with an abiding faith and an accompanying deep inner peace. Throughout the past months, as her health declined, she remained profoundly faithful, speaking of the blessings in her life and the certainty of the reward that lay ahead for her. Her children frequently told care providers that they would need to carefully observe Marie, because she would not ever complain, or even respond to a question about discomfort other than by saying that she was fine and pain free, even if that might not have been the case.

Mrs. Griffin is survived by her five children, sons Greg (Posey) of Anamosa, IA, Stephen (Maureen) of Cheshire, CT and David (Diane) of Fairfield, CT and daughters, Pam Babin of Bellaire, TX and Michele Lattanzio (John) of Cromwell, CT as well as by 13 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren, her sisters, Dorothy Blake of Langhorne, PA and Ethel Ann (Jerry) Light of Center Tuftonborough, NH, her brother, Robert (Arlyn) Elmer of Golden, CO, brother-in-law, James B. Griffin, Jr., DMD, of Farmington, CT and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. She was predeceased by her brother, Walter Elmer.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Mrs. Griffin will be celebrated on Wednesday, September 6, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Church, 910 Main Street South, Southbury, CT. Those planning on attending are kindly asked to go directly to the church. Burial will be held at the convenience of the family. Relatives and friends may visit with Marie's family on Tuesday from 5:00 till 7:00 pm. at Casey's Eastside Memorial Funeral Home 1987 East Main Street, @ Southmayd Rd, Waterbury. To honor Marie's memory, donations may be made to the Southbury Library 100 Poverty Rd. Southbury CT 06488, www.southburylibrary.org or to the Franciscan Life Center 271 Finch Avenue Meriden, CT 06451, www.flcenter.org . To share an on-line expression of sympathy or for additional information, please visit the funeral home website: www.eastsidememorial.com .