Warren “Tony” Griffin, age 94, of Valley City, ND, died Saturday, July 8th at the Sheyenne Care Center in Valley City. A memorial service will be held at 1:30 PM Saturday, July 15th at the Lerud Schuldt Mathias Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will be held one hour before the service Saturday afternoon at the funeral home. Inurnment will be in the North Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery near Mandan, ND.
Warren “Tony” Clark Griffin, the son of John and Helen (Freeman) Griffin was born September 22, 1922 in Valley City, ND. Tony grew up and attended school in Valley City. In 1925, Helen (who had Tony and two daughters) married Roy Maine (who also had two daughters) and together they would have five more daughters.
With this type of environment, Tony was eager to “see the world” and at the age of 16 joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and was sent to a camp north of Detroit Lakes, MN where he worked for two years. In January of 1941, he enlisted in Company G, 164th Infantry Regiment in Valley City. After training at Camp Claiborne, LA for 11 months and then guarding the home front for several months, Tony’s unit was sent to Australia and then New Caledonia where the Regiment was joined by two other Regiments to create the Americal Division. In October of 1942, the 164th was sent to Guadalcanal to reinforce the 1st Marine Division. They were there until February of 1943, when they were sent to Fiji for R&R (Rest and Recuperation). Tony went on to fight more battles on Bougainville and later Leyte in the Philippines before returning to Valley City in March of 1945 and being discharged in June of that year.
After the war, Tony worked various jobs, including being part of a crew that sandblasted the Highline Bridge before it was painted in 1945. He was working as a bartender at the Rudolph Hotel when he met and married Elaine McCormick of Sanborn in January of 1946. In January of 1951, the 164th was reactivated for Korea and sent to Camp Rucker, AL. Tony remained on active duty and was stationed at numerous locations including Germany and Korea. He was also a Ranger and a Ranger Instructor who taught officers and enlisted men at both Ft. Benning and the mountain Ranger Camp at Dahlonega, GA. He spent a tour in Vietnam from 1969-1970 as a Command Sergeant Major and retired at Ft. Carson, CO in 1973. During his 27 years of service, Tony was awarded two Combat Infantryman Badges, two Bronze Star Medals, the Navy Presidential Unit Citation and numerous other medals and citations.
After his retirement from the Army, Tony and Elaine lived and worked in Denver, CO. He attended vocational school and, after receiving his teaching certificate, taught small engine repair at Warren Tech. He also became the go-to repair guy for neighbors and relatives. He re-retired in 1984 and the next year he and Elaine moved back to Valley City. He loved to fish and bowl, but became most passionate about playing golf. He played with several different teams and golf partners, but in later years, he and Chuck Sjostrom could be seen daily on the golf course with Chuck being the spotter and Tony remembering where the ball was spotted. He was a member of the VFW, DAV, American Legion, Eagles and the Valley City Country Club.
Tony is survived by his three children, Cheryl, Michael, and Tracy (Dell); three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; two sisters, Reefa Dahl and Nancy Mcllwain.
Tony was preceded in death by his wife Elaine, his parents, step-father and seven sisters.
Adapted from Lerud-Schuldt-Matthias Funeral Home obituary
Warren “Tony” Clark Griffin, the son of John and Helen (Freeman) Griffin was born September 22, 1922 in Valley City, ND. Tony grew up and attended school in Valley City. In 1925, Helen (who had Tony and two daughters) married Roy Maine (who also had two daughters) and together they would have five more daughters.
With this type of environment, Tony was eager to “see the world” and at the age of 16 joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and was sent to a camp north of Detroit Lakes, MN where he worked for two years. In January of 1941, he enlisted in Company G, 164th Infantry Regiment in Valley City. After training at Camp Claiborne, LA for 11 months and then guarding the home front for several months, Tony’s unit was sent to Australia and then New Caledonia where the Regiment was joined by two other Regiments to create the Americal Division. In October of 1942, the 164th was sent to Guadalcanal to reinforce the 1st Marine Division. They were there until February of 1943, when they were sent to Fiji for R&R (Rest and Recuperation). Tony went on to fight more battles on Bougainville and later Leyte in the Philippines before returning to Valley City in March of 1945 and being discharged in June of that year.
After the war, Tony worked various jobs, including being part of a crew that sandblasted the Highline Bridge before it was painted in 1945. He was working as a bartender at the Rudolph Hotel when he met and married Elaine McCormick of Sanborn in January of 1946. In January of 1951, the 164th was reactivated for Korea and sent to Camp Rucker, AL. Tony remained on active duty and was stationed at numerous locations including Germany and Korea. He was also a Ranger and a Ranger Instructor who taught officers and enlisted men at both Ft. Benning and the mountain Ranger Camp at Dahlonega, GA. He spent a tour in Vietnam from 1969-1970 as a Command Sergeant Major and retired at Ft. Carson, CO in 1973. During his 27 years of service, Tony was awarded two Combat Infantryman Badges, two Bronze Star Medals, the Navy Presidential Unit Citation and numerous other medals and citations.
After his retirement from the Army, Tony and Elaine lived and worked in Denver, CO. He attended vocational school and, after receiving his teaching certificate, taught small engine repair at Warren Tech. He also became the go-to repair guy for neighbors and relatives. He re-retired in 1984 and the next year he and Elaine moved back to Valley City. He loved to fish and bowl, but became most passionate about playing golf. He played with several different teams and golf partners, but in later years, he and Chuck Sjostrom could be seen daily on the golf course with Chuck being the spotter and Tony remembering where the ball was spotted. He was a member of the VFW, DAV, American Legion, Eagles and the Valley City Country Club.
Tony is survived by his three children, Cheryl, Michael, and Tracy (Dell); three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; two sisters, Reefa Dahl and Nancy Mcllwain.
Tony was preceded in death by his wife Elaine, his parents, step-father and seven sisters.
Adapted from Lerud-Schuldt-Matthias Funeral Home obituary
Warren “Tony” Griffin, age 94, of Valley City, ND, died Saturday, July 8th at the Sheyenne Care Center in Valley City. A memorial service will be held at 1:30 PM Saturday, July 15th at the Lerud Schuldt Mathias Funeral Home Chapel. Visitation will be held one hour before the service Saturday afternoon at the funeral home. Inurnment will be in the North Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery near Mandan, ND.
Warren “Tony” Clark Griffin, the son of John and Helen (Freeman) Griffin was born September 22, 1922 in Valley City, ND. Tony grew up and attended school in Valley City. In 1925, Helen (who had Tony and two daughters) married Roy Maine (who also had two daughters) and together they would have five more daughters.
With this type of environment, Tony was eager to “see the world” and at the age of 16 joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and was sent to a camp north of Detroit Lakes, MN where he worked for two years. In January of 1941, he enlisted in Company G, 164th Infantry Regiment in Valley City. After training at Camp Claiborne, LA for 11 months and then guarding the home front for several months, Tony’s unit was sent to Australia and then New Caledonia where the Regiment was joined by two other Regiments to create the Americal Division. In October of 1942, the 164th was sent to Guadalcanal to reinforce the 1st Marine Division. They were there until February of 1943, when they were sent to Fiji for R&R (Rest and Recuperation). Tony went on to fight more battles on Bougainville and later Leyte in the Philippines before returning to Valley City in March of 1945 and being discharged in June of that year.
After the war, Tony worked various jobs, including being part of a crew that sandblasted the Highline Bridge before it was painted in 1945. He was working as a bartender at the Rudolph Hotel when he met and married Elaine McCormick of Sanborn in January of 1946. In January of 1951, the 164th was reactivated for Korea and sent to Camp Rucker, AL. Tony remained on active duty and was stationed at numerous locations including Germany and Korea. He was also a Ranger and a Ranger Instructor who taught officers and enlisted men at both Ft. Benning and the mountain Ranger Camp at Dahlonega, GA. He spent a tour in Vietnam from 1969-1970 as a Command Sergeant Major and retired at Ft. Carson, CO in 1973. During his 27 years of service, Tony was awarded two Combat Infantryman Badges, two Bronze Star Medals, the Navy Presidential Unit Citation and numerous other medals and citations.
After his retirement from the Army, Tony and Elaine lived and worked in Denver, CO. He attended vocational school and, after receiving his teaching certificate, taught small engine repair at Warren Tech. He also became the go-to repair guy for neighbors and relatives. He re-retired in 1984 and the next year he and Elaine moved back to Valley City. He loved to fish and bowl, but became most passionate about playing golf. He played with several different teams and golf partners, but in later years, he and Chuck Sjostrom could be seen daily on the golf course with Chuck being the spotter and Tony remembering where the ball was spotted. He was a member of the VFW, DAV, American Legion, Eagles and the Valley City Country Club.
Tony is survived by his three children, Cheryl, Michael, and Tracy (Dell); three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; two sisters, Reefa Dahl and Nancy Mcllwain.
Tony was preceded in death by his wife Elaine, his parents, step-father and seven sisters.
Adapted from Lerud-Schuldt-Matthias Funeral Home obituary
Warren “Tony” Clark Griffin, the son of John and Helen (Freeman) Griffin was born September 22, 1922 in Valley City, ND. Tony grew up and attended school in Valley City. In 1925, Helen (who had Tony and two daughters) married Roy Maine (who also had two daughters) and together they would have five more daughters.
With this type of environment, Tony was eager to “see the world” and at the age of 16 joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and was sent to a camp north of Detroit Lakes, MN where he worked for two years. In January of 1941, he enlisted in Company G, 164th Infantry Regiment in Valley City. After training at Camp Claiborne, LA for 11 months and then guarding the home front for several months, Tony’s unit was sent to Australia and then New Caledonia where the Regiment was joined by two other Regiments to create the Americal Division. In October of 1942, the 164th was sent to Guadalcanal to reinforce the 1st Marine Division. They were there until February of 1943, when they were sent to Fiji for R&R (Rest and Recuperation). Tony went on to fight more battles on Bougainville and later Leyte in the Philippines before returning to Valley City in March of 1945 and being discharged in June of that year.
After the war, Tony worked various jobs, including being part of a crew that sandblasted the Highline Bridge before it was painted in 1945. He was working as a bartender at the Rudolph Hotel when he met and married Elaine McCormick of Sanborn in January of 1946. In January of 1951, the 164th was reactivated for Korea and sent to Camp Rucker, AL. Tony remained on active duty and was stationed at numerous locations including Germany and Korea. He was also a Ranger and a Ranger Instructor who taught officers and enlisted men at both Ft. Benning and the mountain Ranger Camp at Dahlonega, GA. He spent a tour in Vietnam from 1969-1970 as a Command Sergeant Major and retired at Ft. Carson, CO in 1973. During his 27 years of service, Tony was awarded two Combat Infantryman Badges, two Bronze Star Medals, the Navy Presidential Unit Citation and numerous other medals and citations.
After his retirement from the Army, Tony and Elaine lived and worked in Denver, CO. He attended vocational school and, after receiving his teaching certificate, taught small engine repair at Warren Tech. He also became the go-to repair guy for neighbors and relatives. He re-retired in 1984 and the next year he and Elaine moved back to Valley City. He loved to fish and bowl, but became most passionate about playing golf. He played with several different teams and golf partners, but in later years, he and Chuck Sjostrom could be seen daily on the golf course with Chuck being the spotter and Tony remembering where the ball was spotted. He was a member of the VFW, DAV, American Legion, Eagles and the Valley City Country Club.
Tony is survived by his three children, Cheryl, Michael, and Tracy (Dell); three grandchildren, three great-grandchildren; two sisters, Reefa Dahl and Nancy Mcllwain.
Tony was preceded in death by his wife Elaine, his parents, step-father and seven sisters.
Adapted from Lerud-Schuldt-Matthias Funeral Home obituary
Bio by: Hugo Kelley
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