Elmer "Butch" Griffiths
Elmer "Butch" Griffiths, 91, went to meet his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on April 2, 2017 at 8:45 pm surrounded by family.
He was born on January 10, 1926 to Elmer J. and Hazel Fetter Griffiths.
He married three amazing women; Mary Smith, Norma Jean Mock and Cheryl Ann Richardson. A father to six, Kay Ann (Denzil) Dodds, Theresa Alexander, Vicki (John) Singer, Kim (Kerry) Buchenroth, Barbara Keykens and finally his boy, Jonathan (Kristina) Griffiths. He had 11 grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren, five great-great grandchildren and one sister, Colleen (Don) Staver.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Owen, wife Mary, wife Norma, son-in-law, Art and granddaughter Brittany.
On February 14, 1944, he entered the Army Air Force during WWII. He was a gunner on a B-24, flying 53 missions out of Italy, bombing Germany and Austria. He said it was awful bombing oil fields because flak was terrible and it was very hard to see afterward.
He was an active member of Indian Lake Church of the Nazarene and loved teaching Sunday School. He started teaching Junior Boys and ended teaching Senior Citizens, teaching up to the age of 89. He also was a board member and served in about every capacity. He was a Charter member of the Indian Lake EMS, helping them attain their first vehicle and first building to house their equipment.
He was a member of the Logan County Gideons since 1981, held all the local offices and went on to become an area coordinator for the State of Ohio. He really enjoyed speaking in churches and sharing the work of the Gideons. He also liked to go to state and international conventions to find out how the gospel was being spread throughout the world.
He was a Lima businessman, buying out E. J. Griffiths and Sons automotive and electric business from his dad, and with the help of his brother, turning it into a sporting goods business.
He was an avid hunter and fisherman, spending many hours on Indian Lake fishing and frog gigging, as well as hours upon hours hunting on his small farm near Bellefontaine.
Even though he was a very hard worker, sometimes working two jobs to support his family, vacations were always important and those memories will always keep his family laughing through the hard times.
Pastors Denzil Dodds and Tim Johnson began funeral services at 2:00 PM Saturday, April 8, 2017 at Indian Lake Northside Church of the Nazarene, 13699 State Route 235, Lakeview, OH. Visitation was Friday, April 7 from 2-4 and 6-8 PM at Shoffstall Funeral Home, 205 S. Main Street Lakeview and one hour prior to services at the church. Burial was in Huntsville Cemetery with military honors provided by the Logan County Veterans Honor Guard.
Memorial contributions may be given in his name to Gideon's International.
Arrangements were in the care of Shoffstall Funeral Home, Lakeview. Condolences may be expressed at www.shoffstrallfunerhome.com.