James Calvin Griffin

James Calvin Griffin born 6/26/1927 passed away on 5/11/14. Born in a 2 bedroom farmhouse without indoor plumbing or electricity, June 26, 1927 in Lipan Texas, Jim Griffin was raised on his grandparent’s farm doing all the things families of farmers did. He decided early on that was not what he wanted to do. In high school he took standard classes concentrating on Math and Science. He also played basketball. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout in 1945 just before graduating from Pascal High School in Ft Worth. (All his life he lived the Scout Oath and Law.) He entered the Navy in July of 1945 and served one year on the USS Bullard. His official discharge papers were not issued until 1954. He attended North Texas Agricultural College, today known as University of Texas at Arlington. Jim went on to graduate as a Mechanical Engineer from Texas Technological College (today Texas Tech University) and went to work for Southwestern Bell Telephone Company (now AT&T) in Ft Worth, Texas “walking the line.” Jim married Louise Ash in October 1950 and Jamie was born 3 years later in Lubbock, Texas. He moved with Southwestern Bell from Ft Worth to Lubbock to Dallas to St Louis, where son Jimmy was born, to Manahttan, NY back to Lubbock and final moved to Dallas, where Lewis and Dee Anne were added to the family. Jim retired from Southwestern Bell in 1991. Jim was an Equipment Chief in Lubbock and ended his carrier with Southwestern Bell in the Future Planning Department in Dallas. He was on the ground floor of cell phone technology and cell tower placement in Texas. Before he retired he was the go-to person for fiber optics in the Dallas office of Southwestern Bell. Often times his bosses did not know what he was working on and only a select group in Dallas and St Louis knew what he was working on. In the early 60’s Jim volunteered with the Boy Scouts of America with the Explorer Scouts and other civic organizations in Lubbock, TX. For vacation one year he took his family to the Philmont Training Center near Cimarron, NM. While living in Lubbock Jim was a deacon and devoted time to a Smithlawn Church of Christ ministry, the Unwed Mother’s Home. He helped in the placement of babies that were given up for adoption and the church supported and built a home for these women. Through the Lubbock Children’s Home the family also fostered children waiting for adoption. After the family moved to Dallas he devoted his time and energy to family activities, attending many school functions in which his children were involved. He served as Assistant Coach for Little League Football on his son’s teams and served as either Assistant or Head Coach for Baseball teams for his sons and nephews. He attended many Vanston and North Mesquite High School Football and Basketball games. When Jim retired in 1991 he volunteered his time and services for riding lessons for daughter Dee Anne to Equest Equestrian Rehabilitation Center in Wylie, TX. He had his own “To Do” list on the back of the office door for many years. Two houses were added to the property and he helped coordinate the reconstruction doing some of the wiring and building a deck on the back of one of the houses. When interest in a carriage driving program came up Jim helped in the selection of horses and carriages and helped get the program running. He also was a Tack and Groom Trainer for volunteers of the riding and driving programs, a member of the competition and show teams, traveling to various events with Equest. Equest has an award for volunteers named after him. He also worked with one of the new programs at Equest “Hooves for Heroes”. This is for Veterans, helping them deal with emotions returning to civilian life. Jim had many interests throughout his life, woodworking, Scouting, hunting, sports, reading, tinkering, engineering, camping, horsemanship, volunteering and so on… But none were more important than his devotion to family and the Lord. He was preceded in death by his wife of 53 years Louise A. Griffin; parents, Athel Richardson and Virginia Griffin; son, James Edgar Griffin. James is survived by children, Jamie O. McCallum, Lewis A. Griffin, DeeAnne Griffin, grandchildren, Ashley Griffin, Christopher Whatcha McCallum, Scott McCallum; great grandchildren, Mason, Lindsey, Audrey, Claire, Trinity, Parker; brother, Bill B. Griffin; numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral service will be 10AM Wednesday 5/14/14 at Mesquite Church of Christ 400 W. Davis St. Mesquite, TX. 75149. Family will receive friends from 5PM to 7PM Tuesday evening at New Hope Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to equest.org @ https://www.equest.org/index.php?option=com_dtdonate&controller=authorizenet&task=authorizenet&Itemid=271