David Miller Griffin

Memorial service for David Miller Griffin, 90, Lawrence, will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, September 21, 2024, at Trinity Episcopal Church in Lawrence, reception to follow. David passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 13, 2024, at his home, surrounded by family.

He was preceded in death by his parents James and Helen Griffin, brothers James (Peggy) Griffin Jr., Stuart (Diane) Griffin and Samuel Griffin, and his nephew Charles Griffin.

He is survived by his Wife of 65 years, Gail (Harris) Griffin, daughter Donna E. Griffin, Lawrence, KS; son Dane (LaTreena Lambert) Griffin, Louisburg, KS, daughter Dawn (Jerry) Tryon, Lincoln, NE, and daughter Daphne (Bob) Fry, Olathe, KS.  Grandchildren Antonio (Brandi) Glover, Joseph (Abby) Harris, Dayna (Calvin) Wilbon, Tori (Austin Urbauer) Tryon, Connor Tryon, Brad Fry, Jesse Fry, Greg (Melissa) Fry, Tony Fry, Peyton (Blake) Meis, Camryn Threinen, and Zachary Threinen along with 9 great grandchildren, and one on the way.  He also leaves behind much loved nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

David was born on March 23, 1934, in Atlanta, GA, the son of James Allen and Helen (Ingersoll) Griffin.  After his father’s military service, they moved to Memphis, Tennessee where, in high school he started swimming at the city pool.  Swimming would be a lifelong passion.  Following high school graduation in 1952 from Southside High School, he studied Industrial Arts at Memphis State University before signing up on the Army GI bill in June of 1954 and serviced during the Korean War as an Artillery Communication Specialist until March 1956.  He transferred to the Army Reserves for the remaining 6 years of his 8-year commitment before being honorably discharged.  In the fall of 1956 he attended Oklahoma A & M (now Oklahoma State University), where he received his Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1961 and where he met and then married Gail Harris on May 24, 1959, in Spiro, OK.  After their college graduation and at the urging of his college mentor, they sold everything and with first daughter Donna in tow, left Oklahoma and traveled to Paris, Francewhere he attended the Le’Cole des Beaux Arts.  He worked at a local Architectural firm while attending school. They traveled extensively throughout Europe before returning home in spring of 1963.  In 1965 they moved to Houston, TX where he attended Rice University and received his Master of Architecture in only one year.  There he worked for the internationally renowned Caudill, Rowlett, Scott (CRS) until August of 1969.  While at CRS, he had the opportunity to be mentored by Bill Caudill and Willie Pena while working on projects such as a University in Saudi Arabia and educational facilities throughout the United States.

He interviewed and was hired in 1969 to teach at the University of Kansas, School of Architecture and Urban Design, and did so for 36 years teaching studios, professional practice, sketching, and building technology classes to mention a few.  Teaching became his number one passion, and it was obvious when you saw him with his students.  He now holds the status of Professor Emeritus.

While teaching at KU, David consulted at several firms in the Topeka, Lawrence, and Kansas City area.  He became a Partner-in-Charge at Ekdahl Davis Depew Persson Architects (EDDP) of Topeka in 1982 and president of the firm in 1986 after Don Depew retired.  While at EDDP he served on the committee and as chair for Ekdahl lecture series at Kansas State University. David retired from the firm in the 1992. 

David loved the outdoors and took the family on camping vacations for many years, he and Gail served as camp directors for the Birchwood Wilderness Camp in Minnesota at the end of the Gunflint trail near Canada in the Summers of 1977 & 1978.  He always took time to sketch (often at Zoos and parks), feed the birds, and swim.  He joined the Lawrence Masters swim club in 1984 and started attending annual Sunflower meets in Topeka and eventually attended Senior Olympic events in Tucson, AZ and Minneapolis, MN as well as other Masters and Senior Olympic events in Kansas and Nebraska.  He received gold, silver, or bronze medals, at all the events he attended.

The Griffin family attended St. Luke’s AME Church, Lawrence, through the 70s. In 1980, the family became members of Trinity Episcopal Church, Lawrence.  He served on the KU Canterbury Bishop’s Committee for more than 30 years working directly with the Bishop, students, and Missioners.  He also served on the Vestry at Trinity Episcopal Church multiple times holding the offices of Senior and Junior Warden at various times.  He volunteered often and you could always find him in the kitchen helping wash dishes or cleaning up after an event.

To keep his mind and body active, he worked at Home Depot from 2016 until March of this year.  He loved his co-workers and the customers, often receiving homer dollars for his great customer service.  From 2015 to March 2020 he volunteered at LMH Hospital in Lawrence, KS.  He really enjoyed working with the staff and patients.  We were never surprised when at the hospital, we would run across a volunteer or staff member that remembered him and walked up with open arms to receive a hug. 

David will be remembered for giving the best hugs and smiling and laughing easily.  One of his favorite quotes that we think epitomizes him is:

People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did; but people will never forget how you made them feel.  Maya Angelou.

David was proud of his military service and that of his family.  Father James Griffin (WWI Army), Brothers, James Griffin Jr. (WWII Army, Army Air Corps, and Airforce), Stuart Griffin (WWII Navy), Samuel Griffin (WWII Army), Cousin Robert “Bobby’ Ingersoll, Jr (WWII Army Air Corps gunner– died in the war), and Nephews: James A. Griffin III, (Navy; served as Hospital Corpsman with marines in Vietnam), Thomas Griffin (Navy-Vietnam) and Connor Tryon (Marines).

In lieu of flowers or plants, Memorial contributions may be made in David’s name to the Griffin-McCoy Scholarship fund through KU Endowment, Crossroads Hospice Charitable Foundation www.crhcf.org (memorial or children’s camp), or to a fund for a memorial installation (possibly a bench) at a currently unknown location by his family.  Your donation may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044.