118 | i. | Leo Hamlin GRIFFIN was born on 14 May 1926 in Monroe County, WI.109 He died on 27 October 2014 at the age of 88 in La Crosse, La Crosse County, WI.109 Obituary Notes: "Leo Hamlin Griffin, 88,passed away Monday, Oct. 27, 2014, at Gundersen Health System in La Crosse. He was born May 14, 1926,in Monroe County, Wis., to Raymond and Adelight (Thill) Griffin. He went to Pine Grove School, and after graduation, he worked for farmers around the area until 1945, when he was inducted into the U.S. Army. He took basic training in Fort Sill, Okla., and became a telegrapher after acing his Morse code test. He also won several sharp-shooting awards and medals. He was sent to post-war Germany and served in the telecommunications division until coming home when he received his honorable discharge. After leaving the service, he migrated to Beloit, where he got a job with Fairbanks-Morse (now Colt Industries), as an electrician. He was always proud when one of the big turbo engines that he worked on went into some big government project. He worked for that company for 44 years until retiring. After his retirement, he moved back to Monroe County. Leo was a sportsman through and through. For years he loved to hunt deer and turkey, which he really hadf un with. In his younger years, he was an avid snowmobiler. Weekend priority was a Packers, Brewers or UW game. As long as there was a ball connected to the game, he watched it. He also loved to take long car rides, but going on a ride with Leo was more like a journey. They lasted for hours. Leo’s nephew and his wife, named their first GPS ‘Leona,’ because like Leo, it knew every back road in the country. Leo is survived by his sister, Helen (Don) Pfaff; and a brother, Joe (Carole) Griffin; and three sisters-in-law, Charlotte (Don) Jerome, Norma Griffin and Jeanne Griffin; nieces and nephews; and many great-nieces and nephews; and great-great-nieces and nephews. He also leaves many great friends and other relatives to mourn his passing. Leo will sorely be missed by many. He was preceded in death by his parents; and five brothers, Bill, Jim, Oscar “Shorty,” Ernest and Raymond“Buckshot” Griffin Jr. Services will be at 11 a.m.Monday, Nov. 3, 2014, at Zwickey Funeral Homes Melrose Chapel. Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until time of funeral service, followed by burial with military rites in Cataract Cemetery, Little Falls, Wis. The Rev. John Ashland will officiate." . |