Joe H. Griffin Sr.

He is survived by his wife Mary Ambrose Griffin, his son Joe Howard Griffin, Jr., and Nenita Sausa, Joe Jr.'s fiancé, his sisters Joyce Ragon and Theresa (Clyde) Hardison, nephews Donnie and Michael Hicks, Van and Chris Hardison, stepdaughters Teresa Feola and Brenda Cable, stepson Bob Ambrose, 8 step grandchildren & 12 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his late wife Wellene Hodge Griffin.

Joe was a lifelong resident of Pineville except for the two years he served in the US Army during the period of 1956 to 1958.

Joe worked as a mechanical engineer and as an industrial sales and application engineer. He had a 30 year career working with EMCO in Charlotte, NC.

Joe’s primary education was at Pineville farm Life School. He attended East Mecklenburg High School and Charlotte College where he graduated in 1953.

Joe met Wellene Hodge while they were both attending Charlotte College and they were married October 23, 1954. They had one son Joe Howard Griffin, Jr., born November 9, 1961. They were married 62 years until Wellene’s death in 2016.

Joe was a lifelong member of Pineville United Methodist church. He was a charter member of the James K. Polk Masonic Lodge in Pineville & a member of the Oasis shrine Temple in Charlotte.

Joe was always interested in history and as he approached retirement, began to pursue his family’s genealogy. He became a member of the Old Mecklenburg Genealogical Society. This led him into historical research on his hometown of Pineville. Around 2000, Joe began working on a book chronicling the history of Pineville. The book included many short stories about the things he experienced growing up there. He self-printed & bound the first version in 2002. Demand was so great the he enlisted Warren Publishing to produce the second edition in a polished paperback in 2004. Joe further expanded the original book’s content to include the surrounding areas and in 2016 published My Hometown USA.

After the death of his wife in 2016, he met Mary Ambrose while attending church. Mary had recently lost her husband Bill and had moved from West Virginia to Charlotte to be close to her daughters. Joe and Mary were married June 24, 2017.

Services will be held at Pineville United Methodist Church, 110 S. Polk Street, Pineville, NC 28134, with the Visitation on Friday, February, 7, 2020 from 2:00 – 4:00 pm. The funeral service will be on Saturday, February 8, 2020 at 2:00 pm. Burial will follow at Forest Lawn East Cemetery, Weddington, NC.

Memorials can be made to Masonic Home for Children at Oxford, or Pineville United Methodist Church.

The family would like to extend their thanks to Hospice & Palliative Care, Charlotte Region & Senior Helpers.

On-line condolences may be shared at www.mcewenpinevillechapel.com.