Richard John Griffin, 89, Former Owner of Birmingham TV

This obituary is published at the website of A.J. Desmond and Sons Funeral Home, desmondfuneralhome.com.

Richard John Griffin, 89, former owner of Birmingham TV, husband of the late Esther, and the late Janet, passed away on Wednesday, March 20, 2013.

It was in a house in Franklin, Michigan on May 23, 1923 when Richard was born. He graduated from Barnum High School in Birmingham. During WWII, he served proudly in the United States Army. He had married Esther Masters prior to the war and the two of them were married over 55 years before she passed away in 2002.

During those years following the war, Richard sang in a quartet on the radio, and even worked for the city of Birmingham for a short period of time digging ditches for the sewer department before putting some of the skills he learned in the Army to use. He furthered his electronics education from the Army with trade school classes from RCA and then worked for RCA before starting Birmingham TV with his partner John Palmer in 1956 on Woodward Avenue. He was proud to be family owned and to share that tradition with his son, John who now runs the company.

His hard work and dedication to his work and his family was to be admired. He worked two jobs, driving a cab to help make ends meet when one of his daughters, Janet, passed away at age 31 leaving two children behind that he and his wife helped raise. Sadly, Richard lost a second daughter, Judith, to cancer when she was only 61. His strong faith and devotion to his church and his family kept the family moving forward.

In his free time, Richard enjoyed golfing, camping, and in his younger years, flying. He flew a Piper Cub for a long time and enjoyed having his pilot's license.

It was in 2004 that he remarried Janet, and the two enjoyed each others company until she passed in 2007.

His bright smile and his presence at Grace Baptist Church over the past 55 years will be greatly missed.

Richard is the loving father of John (Cherie), Jay, and the late Judith Verla and the late Janet Larson. Also surviving are ten grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren. He is the dear brother of Robert (Denise), Jack (Gladys), Janie Fugate (Rubin), Marge Rogers (the late Robert) and the late Reynolds, Edward, William, Thomas, Gene, John, and Charles.

Family will receive friends on Sunday, March 24, 2013 from 1-8 p.m. at A.J. Desmond & Sons (Vasu, Rodgers & Connell Chapel) 32515 Woodward Ave. (between 13-14 Mile).

A funeral service will be celebrated on Monday, March 25, 2013 at 11 a.m. at the Grace Baptist Church, 280 E. Lincoln, Birmingham. Visitation begins at the church at 9:30 a.m.

Burial will take place at White Chapel Cemetery in Troy, next to his first wife, Esther.

Those wishing to make an expression of sympathy are asked to consider Grace Baptist Church in Richard's memory. 

Other Troy-area obituaries for March 18-24:

R. Robert Love (89)

• March 21, 2013
• Read the entire obituary at Desmond and Sons Funeral home

Dorothy Louise Jenkins (91)

• March 18, 2013
• Read the entire obituary at Price Funeral Home

Milan Modie Radich (92)

• March 23, 2013
• Read the entire obituary at Price Funeral Home

Joseph T. Ostrowski (46)

• March 21, 2013
• Read the entire obituary at Desmond and Sons Funeral home

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