Michael Jerome Griffin was born in San Francisco, CA to Jerome Griffin and Virginia Bagley. He grew up in farming and ranching communities along the California coast. He learned to ride, train horses, rope and raise cattle early on, which instilled in him the kind of cowboy kindness that stayed with him as a man.
He met the love of his life, Joan Grace Love, in his early twenties and married her in 1949. They had four beautiful daughters - Kathy, Lori, Sallie Lynn, and Michelle, and raised them on the Taylor Ranch in Ventura, CA, before eventually moving to Linden. When he retired from the cattle business, he pursued a second career in real estate, working in commercial appraisal and sales for John Cyr Realty in Stockton.
You’d often find him teasing and joking – although the only thing that would give it away, was the ornery twinkle in his eye. Regardless, he provided reliability with the most loving hugs that grounded you firmly in the present. Truly a larger than life man, he didn’t make you feel small, and would always lend an ear or a helping hand. He was never too busy for his family, and was known affectionately as Poppy by his granddaughters.
In his later years he was very involved in his church and served in many different roles at St. Francis of Assisi Anglican Church. He was also working on a book of family history, with his sister Elizabeth, and spent his afternoons piecing together details of his long life for their memoir. Although Mike stopped ranching in 1980, he loved telling stories from his cowboy days.
The sun has set on his last ride home, where the grass is stirrup high, and there is space to roam. He rides to meet his beloved wife, Joan Grace Griffin, his daughter Lynn, and his sister Kathleen. He is survived by his siblings - Elizabeth Gaynor, Mary Fox, Martha Sue Holt Howard (Curt), and Robert Griffin (Soyla), his daughters - Kathryn Hamilton (Randy), Lori Blackburn (Charlie), and Michelle Griffin LaRue (Troy) – his granddaughters Megan Hamilton, Dianna Brown, Mallory Kelley (Dan), Kendra Brown, and his great grandchildren, Maren, Leyla, and Landon.
During these unprecedented times, private interment with immediate family and a Celebration of Life to be held in 2021. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Mary’s Dining Room, 545 W Sonora St, Stockton, CA 95203.
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