Sad News

Donald Edward Griffith

The Illinois Valley has lost another of the silent pillars of the community, the unsung heroes who step up when there’s work to be done and stick to it until the job is finished.

Don Griffith passed into the hands of the Great Architect with his boots on, on the morning of August 17, 2013 after nearly 82 years on Earth and 58 years of marriage. His work here is done.

Survived by his much loved wife, Hazel Pate Griffith; his children and their spouses, Ruth de Jauregui, Karen and Robert Blaettler, Donna Thompson, and Edward and Joni Griffith; grandchildren, James Erin and Courtney de Jauregui, Lofeeya Darden, Terrence Cheeseboro, Thomas and Karen Blaettler, Krystal and Walter Hulsey, Brian Griffith, Becky Griffith, and Bruce Griffith; great-grandchildren, Avellana Jolie de Jauregui, Dominiq Hulsey, Rayna Hulsey, and Khloe Hulsey; his brother and his wife, Kenneth and Dioney Griffith; and numerous other family members, dear friends, and brothers in Masonry.

Don went on ahead to join his parents Edward Carter Griffiths and Clara Oaks Griffiths Blanchard, brother Ralph “Teddy” Griffith, stepfather Jack Blanchard, and great-granddaughter Joselyn Hulsey.

Born in the original Rexford, Montana, a town now under Lake Koocanusa, Don moved all over the Pacific Northwest with his parents and brothers as a child until his family settled in Point Arena, California. He graduated from Point Arena Joint Union High School in 1949.

Don was a Korean War Veteran, having spent 1952 to 1954 in the Army.

As a young man, he worked in the woods and lumber mills in California and Oregon. While working in Oregon, he met and married Hazel Ione Pate in Brookings, Oregon, in 1955.

Don worked for CalTRANS for 33 years in Point Arena, San Diego, Santa Maria and retired from District 7, Los Angeles, CA. Having retired at midnight, January 16, 1994, he didn’t miss the Northridge earthquake on January 17 at 4:31 a.m., but he got to stay home and take care of his family and house in Downey instead of going out to work on the damaged freeways.

He retired to Cave Junction, Oregon, where he was an active member of the community.

A 43-year Master Mason, Don was the Worshipful Master of Belt Masonic Lodge #18 twice and was the current Treasurer. He was a recipient of the Hiram Award. He also chaired the annual Crab Feed, the Bikes for Books program at Evergreen Elementary School, and the Annual Labor Day Breakfast at Jubilee Park in Cave Junction.

Don was on the Board of Directors of the Kerby Union High School Commemorative Park, the Medford Gun Club, and the Pacific International Trapshooting Association’s Hall of Fame.

He was the President of the Retired Public Employees Association of California, Chapter #102 of Grants Pass, Oregon.

He was also a member of the NRA and the Amateur Trapshooting Association.

An avid trapshooter, Don received his 50,000 target certificate at the PITA Grand Pacific Trapshoot in Evergreen, Washington, in July 2013.

Above all, Don was a dedicated family man, who loved his wife and family with all his heart. He will be missed by all who love him dearly.

A Masonic Memorial was held on September 25, 2013, at the Belt Building in Kerby, Oregon.

Donations in Don’s memory may be made to the Shriner’s Transportation Fund/Emergency Transportation Fund, Attn: Margaret Bryan, 2425 Stockton Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95817 or to the Belt Masonic Lodge #18 Scholarship Fund, PO Box 3091, Kerby, OR 97531.