James W. Griffy Jr. of Cape Girardeau died Saturday, January 16, 1999, at the Missouri Veterans Home.
He was born August 22, 1920, at Marston, Mo., son of James W. and Lorena Pinor Griffy. He married Kathryn Black Rathburn in November 1949. She died November 7, 1970.
A graduate of Southeast Missouri State University, Griffy retired from Standard Oil Company. He served with the U.S. Army in th Pacific Theater during World War II.
He was a member of the VFW, Cape Shrine Club, Harold O. Grauel Masonic Lodge 672 and the Scottish Rite Club. He was a 32nd Degree Mason.
He had a lifelong interest in history and culture and after retirement traveled extensively in pursuit of those interests.
Survivors include a son, Ret. Col. Robert Rathburn and wife Irene of Piedmont, Mo.; two brothers, Louis Griffy of Marston, Mo., and Charles Griffy of Edgewater, Fla.; two sisters, Wilma Huhn and Betty Higgins of Cape Girardeau; five grandchildren, two nieces and two nephews.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
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