JOHN DAVID GRIFFIN SR. WAS BORN JUNE 7, 1937, IN WHITEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, THE ELDEST SON OF LULA BELLAMY GRIFFIN AND REARED BY STEPFATHER JIM GRIFFIN. JOHN WAS CALLED TO CEASE HIS FORMAL EDUCATION AT AN EARLY AGE TO SUPPORT HIS MOTHER AND SIBLINGS UPON THE DEATH OF HIS STEPFATHER AND ACQUIRED MANY SKILLS AND TRADES THAT SUPPORTED HIS FAMILY AND INSPIRED FUTURE BUSINESS VENTURES.

IT WAS DURING 1958 THAT HE MET HIS WIFE OF 49 YEARS, MARY SUE HUGHES (D. 2007) IN CLEVELAND, OHIO. JOHN WAS A STERN FATHER THAT TAUGHT HIS SIX CHILDREN TERESA ANN BATTLE, JOHN DAVID JR., ANTONIO LESTER, SUSAN DENISE, CYNTHIA MARIE, SHERITA ANN GRIFFIN ALL OF CLEVELAND, OHIO LIFE SKILLS AND TRADES AND HOW TO WORK HARD AND PLAY HARD.

IN 1955 HE WAS THE HEAD TECHNICIAN AT APEX READY MIX CONCRETE COMPANY IN BEREA, OHIO. HE WORKED AT APEX FOR 18 YEARS BEFORE PURSUING HIS ENTREPRENEURIAL DREAMS STARTING CLEVELAND TRUCK ELECTRIC IN 1971. HE CONTINUED TO DIVERSIFY HIS BUSINESS PORTFOLIO BY BRANCHING OFF INTO MANY ENDEAVORS LIKE OPENING A DRY CLEANERS, A COUNTRY WESTERN BAR AND SEVERAL REAL ESTATE PROJECTS.

JOHNNY GRIFFIN WAS AN AVID SPORTSMAN FROM HUNTING, FISHING, YACHTING AND GOLF. AS A TRAINED MECHANIC HE LOVED TO RESTORE CLASSIC AUTOMOBILES TO INCLUDE A 1932 DODGE, 1967 JAGUAR AND THE INFAMOUS PURPLE GLITTER DUNE BUGGY JUST TO NAME A FEW. JOHN LOVED TO TRAVEL, SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND STORIES OF HOW HE LIVED HIS LIFE TO THE FULLEST.

HE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS LOVING WIFE MARY SUE HUGHES GRIFFIN, SISTERS HATTIE MAE GRIFFIN AND LUBERTA JACKSON, BROTHERS JAMES DOUGLAS, MOSES, CALVIN, AND LEE GRIFFIN.

HE LEAVES TO MOURN HIS MEMORY HIS CHILDREN AND SIBLINGS ALICE FAYE GRIFFIN, JOSEPH GRIFFIN, AND WILLIE MAE HUFFMAN ALL OF CLEVELAND, OHIO. HE WAS ADORED BY HIS GRAND CHILDREN NICHOLAS, TERENCE, CHEREE, JOHN III, CHRISTOPHER, KELLY, MARISSA, VICTORIA, ARIELLE, ANGEL, AND RYAN. HIS LEGACY OF GIVING AND CARING FOR FAMILY WILL FOREVER LIVE ON THROUGH HIS BELOVED GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, CHRIS JR, NYLA, JAYLA, ANTONIO, KEON, JULIANNA, TROY, JAYDEN, KASHMIR, KENDALL, CAIRO, AND AMIR.

JOHNNY GRIFFIN LOVED AND FOUGHT FIERCELY FOR HIS FAMILY TO INCLUDE A HOST OF NIECES, NEPHEWS, COUSINS, IN-LAWS, CLOSE FRIENDS, AND HIS COMMUNITY. HIS WICKED SENSE OF HUMOR AND WORLDLY ADVICE WILL BE MISSED BY THOSE THAT CHERISH HIS MEMORY.