Gary Henderson Griffith Jr.

Gary was born in New York, NY on February 28, 1934. He married Helen Lee Goad in 1952 in St. Petersburg, FL. Gary served in the US Air Force where he was based in Germany. He had a long career at IBM, beginning in Atlanta, GA as Customer Engineer, Charleston, SC as a Field Manager, and in Raleigh, NC as both a Program Manager and Service Planner until his retirement.

He was a gifted woodworker, mechanic, plumber, and electrician who could fix anything, doing all his own repairs. He built two boats. His family “fondly” remembers him rebuilding an engine in his living room. He was a member of the NC Track Club. An avid runner, he ran five marathons. He enjoyed family parties, hosting “grandkid days”, smoking cigars, and playing cards. He taught all his grandchildren to play poker and hosted an annual family poker tournament. During his retirement he volunteered for Duke Hospital and the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh.

Gary was preceded in death by his wife Helen Lee Griffith, his parents, Gary Henderson Griffith and Edith Frantz Krick Griffith, and his brother, Robert Krick Griffith. Gary is survived by his children Deborah Griffith Overby (Linwood), Gary Henderson Griffith III, Michelle Griffith Hale (Robert), 8 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.

His funeral will be at St. Raphael Catholic Church on Tuesday, May 30 at 11:00 AM.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared for the Griffith family by clicking "add a memory" below.