Virgil W Griffin, 84, Coffey, Mo., passed away Friday, December 13, 2019.
He was born on October 19, 1935 near Brimson, Mo. the son of Loren and Ora Bell (Sharp) Griffin.
On Friday, May 13, 1960, he married Carolyn Faye Ratliff in Jamesport, Mo. She survives of the home.
Virgil attended three country schools, Lake Elementary, Knights Town School and Brimson School before attending Gilman City and graduating from Pattonsburg High School in 1954. After graduation, Virgil went to Wyoming to work. In 1957, he joined the Army to serve his two years of duty and was stationed in Germany. While there, he discovered he had a knack for wrestling and won many trophies and awards.
After his discharge from the Army, Virgil and Carolyn met and were married. The next 59 years Virgil and Carolyn farmed, trucked and worked several other jobs all while raising four kids.
Virgil retired in 2017 from a 30-year trucking career. The long hours on the road driving to the East Coast and back provided Virgil and Carolyn a lot of quality time together.
In April 2018, Virgil began a new career at the Daviess DeKalb Regional Jail as ākeeper of the gateā. He expressed many times how thankful he was to work there and how much he enjoyed it. He would tell people it was the best job he ever had and wished he had started there 29 years earlier.
Virgil was an avid horseman. His favorite pastime was sitting in a saddle or hooking up a team to drive. He was a horse trainer as well. His love for horses and skill at training them was well known. In his younger years, his competitive spirit, lead him to enter his mules, Pete and Ginger, in countless mule jumping contests. With his expert guidance, his mules won numerous local and state competitions. Pete was a willing companion for the many long, but successful nights of coon hunting with Virgil.
For many years, Virgil enjoyed participating in tractor pulls, spending many hours with his sons and son-in-lawās strategizing and repairing their pulling tractor.
Virgil served as Alderman for the City of Coffey. He loved Coffey and gave many hours of selfless service to the city and its residents.
Virgil was saved when he was seven years old at the Brimson Baptist Church. He was an active member of the Coffey Baptist Church for 55 years, serving as Deacon, Superintendent, Trustee, Teacher, maintenance man, grounds keeper and helping in other areas as needed. He loved being in church, studying Godās word and sharing it with others.
Virgil had a passion for life and did everything wholeheartedly, whether it was working or just talking. He never met a stranger and having a spirit of giving was always willing to help someone in need.
Virgil loved his kids and grandkids unconditionally. He took great delight in talking to each one. His grandkids and great-grandkids were his pride and joy and he looked forward to having all his family together as often as possible. He truly felt that something was missing when someone couldnāt attend a get together. His family knew they could count on him and he took great pleasure in helping them. His story telling, his joy in having his family together and his love for life will be greatly missed.
Virgil loved God, loved his family and finished the race well. His prayer for his family was that they would do the same.
Virgil was preceded in death by his parents; grandson, Mark Thomas de Jong; two brothers, Vernon and Melford Griffin; sister, Marilyn Morgan; brothers-in-law; sisters-in-law; nephews and nieces.
Survivors in addition to his wife, Carolyn, include two sons, Michael Douglas, Camden Point and Randall Keith, Coffey; two daughters, Teresa Carol (Doug) Faulkner, Bethany and Tammy Sue (Ben) de Jong, McFall; sisters-in-law, Norma Griffin, Gallatin, Winifred Burrows, Cold Springs, Texas, Delores Ratliff, Gilman City and Linda Ratliff, Bethany; brother-in-law, Bob Morgan, Albany; nine grandchildren, four step grandchildren; eleven great grandchildren; three step-great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were December 17 at Coffey Baptist Church, Coffey, Mo. under the direction of Roberson Funeral Home, Bethany, Mo. Burial in Coffey Cemetery, Coffey, Mo. Memorials may be made to the Coffey Cemetery and/or Coffey Baptist Church in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. Box 46, Bethany, Mo. 64424. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneralhome.com