Robert Lee Griffin
July 4, 1940 – June 23, 2022

Robert Lee Griffin was born on July 4, 1940 in Tulare, California. He knew poverty and loss from a young age having lost his mother when he was seven years old. His father raised him and his siblings in a nomadic lifestyle, having moved more than a dozen times a year. He was a new kid at a different school so often, that he stopped going after the 5th grade. His father moved them from town to town for field work, usually only having to eat what they picked in the fields. The lifestyle he lived as a child made him determined to be a steady, solid provider for his own family. He met the love of his life, Betty Jo McGee in Blythe, California and they were married in 1959. They had 4 children; Diana, Troy, Nancy, and Adam. Robert worked two jobs to provide a stable home for his family. He started out hauling hay but was determined to do better for his family. He received his GED and was hired on at the Riverside County Road Department in 1970. He worked both jobs for a while until he was making enough to quit the hard work of hauling hay for pennies a bale. Robert would always say that God had a hand in every success he had in life, including when he moved into the position of supervisor at the road department where he worked until he retired in 2002.

Robert was a follower of Jesus Christ and made it his life goal of going to heaven. He and his family attended the Pentecostal Church of God in Blythe for many years where he served as a deacon and Sunday school teacher. He lost the love of his life, Betty, after 51 happy years of marriage. He later found the love and companionship he was missing in Mary Dean, a sweet Texas lady who also understood the devastating loss of a spouse, and they were married in 2011. Mary was by his side until his last breath.

Robert leaves behind the family he was so proud of: Four kids; Diana (Darryl), Troy (Suzi), Nancy (Doug) and Adam (Angela). Ten grandkids; Lance (Melissa), Derrick (Maria), Shawn (Krystal), Justin (MyEisha), Sierra (Matt), Samantha, Rachel, Cheyenne (Dustin), Tru and Mattie. Ten great-grandkids; Lana, Bryce, Sarah, Kara, Elizabeth, Miranda, Tristan, Emmett, Quinn, and Rilynn. His greatest wish was for his family to know God so we could all meet back in Heaven some day. We are certain that he and Betty are now reunited and waiting patiently for their loved ones to join them.

His family can't express enough the great admiration and pride they have for how he overcame seemingly insurmountable adversity yet persevered to provide a stable, loving home. He was an incredible blessing in our lives. He will be deeply missed and will always be in our hearts.

Visitation will be held Thursday, June 30th from 5-8:00 pm at Frye Chapel.  Funeral service will be Friday, July 1, 2022 at 10:00 am also at Frye Chapel with interment following at Palo Verde Cemetery.