John Griffin (MRN, Retired): 1944-2019

It is with a heavy heart that we pass along the death of Retired Fire Captain John Griffin ("John's fine") of Marin County Fire Department. John died at Marin General after a yearlong illness earlier this week.

 John's funeral services will be this Friday, 8/30/19, at 11am. The funeral will be at Cornerstone Community Church 626 Drake Avenue in Marin City, CA. Bishop Johnathan Logan is the pastor.

The family would like a heavy fire presence to honor Johns service to MCFD. The family is requesting Fire Service Members attend in their Class A uniforms. We will also have a static engine display with John's engines, 1583 and 1563, highlighted.

Your attendance would be greatly appreciated by Johns family. If your on duty we will work to get as many folks there as possible.

Please meet at the Marin City Fire Station at 1000 in your Class As.

We will walk over together from the station.  

John Griffin, Jr. November 22, 1944 - August 23, 2019 On November 22, 1944, John Griffin Jr. was born in Shreveport, Louisiana to Mildred Frances Brown and John Griffin, Sr. When John was one year old, Mildred and John Griffin, Sr. moved to Marin City, CA so that John Sr. could work in the Marinship Shipyard in Sausalito to help with the United State's war efforts during WWII. John, Jr. attended Richardson Bay Elementary School in Sausalito and graduated from Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, CA. In June 1964, after high school, John joined the United States Navy where he served for four years on active duty. He was an expert in navigation, retiring as a Quartermaster in 1970. John was honorably discharged and received three Naval commendations: National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal. Immediately after discharge, John enlisted in the Navy Reserves for two years. While serving in the reserves, he was hired as a Seasonal Fire Wardens helper on 8/24/1968. He worked seasonally and also did some vacation relief work until July 1971. He was then hired as a permanent full time Fire Warden II effective 7/22/1971. He was promoted to Lt. and later became Captain on 3/8/1978 and retired on 3/30/2002. Not long after retirement, John Jr. decided to drive buses for the Marin Airporter and the Sausalito Marin City School District. On September 8, 1974, John married the love of his life, Fay Derra Harris. To this union three amazing daughters were born. Antoinette Monique, Natasha Olivia, and Deidre Vanessa. On June 4, 2005 John and Fay recommitted themselves with another wedding ceremony. First and foremost, John Jr. enjoyed family. His favorite thing to do was to take his wife Fay and girls Antoinette, Natasha and Deidre on vacations. He showed his love for his daughters and grandchildren, by always doing and never expecting anything in return. John created a blue sheet of 41 "helpful hints to assist you as you are growing up and into adult life". He was an active member of Cornerstone Community Church of God in Christ under the ministry of Bishop Logan. John helped with maintenance, groundskeeping and doing various needed jobs around the church. After a yearlong illness, on August 23rd, he was called home to be with the Lord. John Jr. was preceded in death by his mother, Mildred, father, John Sr., brother James, sisters Shirley Stull, Denise (Molly) Herbert, and Amber Denise Sullivan. John Jr. leaves a legacy to honor his memory, his wife Fay Derra, daughters, Antoinette Monique Griffin, Mill Valley, CA, Natasha Olivia Griffin Kambi (Kunta), Marin City, CA, and Deidre Vanessa Griffin, Vallejo, CA. Four brothers, Roger Griffin, San Francisco, CA, Jonathan (Kristine), Seattle, WA, Aaron Muhammad (Mahana), La Quinta, CA, Ernest Griffin (Loretta), Maple Valley, WA; five sisters, Frances Jean Williams (Clide), Shreveport, LA, Judy Griffin Elie, Shreveport, LA, Laura Elaine Baugh (Theodore), Fair View Heights, IL, Linda Marie Garbot (Glenn), Las Vegas, NV and Rachael Pearl Griffin, Marin, CA; four grandchildren, Rokiah Fay Cutkelvin, Rodwell James (RJ) Cutkelvin Jr, Vanessa Renee Kennedy, and Isha Bintou Kambi. John also leaves one aunt, Lottie Griffin, Long Beach, CA, his Cornerstone Community Church of God in Christ Church family and a host of other relatives, cousins, friends, Marin Firefighters and Marin Airporter community. Funeral: Cornerstone Community Church of God in Christ Marin City, CA Friday, August 30, 2019 11:00 AM. Interment: Sacramento Valley National Veterans Cemetery Dixon, CA Wednesday, September 4, 2019 10:00 AM.