James JT Thomas Griffin

He was a gentle and loving person. He took great pride in his yard and gardening and loved making them the best he could. He worked for the L&C Railroad/ Norfolk Southern railroad for 18 years. He joined Overland Trucking which became CW Transport after leaving the railroad. His love for driving an 18 wheeler kept him behind the wheel until he was 87.

He met his wife, Jolita at a bakery in Lancaster, SC and was married for 68 years. He and his wife were Charter Members of St. Luke United Methodist Church, having helped build the church. St Luke later merged with Kilgo United Methodist Church to become The Vine.

He is survived by his wife, Jolita Shute Griffin, daughters' Cathy (Eddie) Hodges, Barbara (Ken) Ballard, granddaughters, Diane Hodges-Conrad (Ray), Melissa Surratt (Cory), Crystal Ballard and Kara Ballard and two great grandchildren, Bentley Surratt and Charlotte Conrad, brother Milford Griffin and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, and two sisters.

The funeral service will be at Wilson Funeral and Cremation Service, 5301 Albemarle Rd. Charlotte, NC 28212 on Monday, June 5, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial to follow in Charlotte Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hickory Grove United Methodist Church, 6401 Hickory Grove Rd, Charlotte, NC 28215 or donor's choice.

Online condolences may be made at www.wilsonfuneralservices.com.