Mary Alice Griffith

Like Jesus, Mary came to serve, not to be served. Surrounded by family, Mary Alice Myers Griffith died in Conroe, TX October 28, 2014 after an extended battle with dementia. Mary Alice was born on March 9, 1928, in Mattoon, Illinois. She grew up on a dairy farm in Mattoon, Illinois with an older brother and younger twin sisters, demonstrating her penchant for hard work and service early. Mary graduated from Union Hospital School of Nursing in Terre Haute, Indiana, being voted Queen of her class. Afterward, she accepted an internship in New Jersey where she was mentored by Dr. Stoeling, a local OB-GYN. While there, she also taught classes to other nurses. For her, nursing was not simply a job, but a passion and calling. With the exception of only a few years, Mary worked as an OB-GYN nurse her entire adult life. She enjoyed patient care, mentoring students, and was known for her unique gift of starting IVs in infants. She also served as supervisor for Baptist Hospital's Women's and Children's during her career. Fellow nursing school student, Martha Pipes, introduced Mary to her future husband, William (Bill) R. Griffith. They were married September 28, 1952 in Mattoon. Mary then moved south to Beaumont, TX where Bill had begun his career at DuPont, Sabine River Works. Mary and Bill spent the majority of their lives in Groves, Texas where they raised their three children. Mary was preceded in her death by her husband, William R. Griffith, her parents Walter and Lena Myers of Mattoon, IL, her twin sisters, Inez Myers of Mattoon, IL and Ina Carey of Scottsdale, AZ. She is survived by her son, Rodney Griffith and his wife Vickie, daughter Janet Griffith Davis and her husband Bob, and son Robert Griffith and his wife, Lori. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Sarah and Leighton Guarnere, Hannah and Darren Bretting, Joshua Griffith, Nathan and Julie Griffith, Robert Davis, Jenna and Joel Burleson-Davis, Samuel Griffith, Betsy Davis and her great grandchildren Braiden Guarnere, Kaitlen Wimpy, Camden Guarnere, Cody Bretting, Meagan Wimpy, Caitlyn Bretting, Landen Guarnere, Nathan Griffith, II, and Georgia Burleson-Davis as well as her brother Phillip William Myers and his wife Ruby, and nieces Elizabeth Essig of Graham, Washington, Priscilla Bilas of Gilbert, AZ, and Molly McMillian of Indianapolis, IN, and numerous friends. Mary's life was characterized by service. She faithfully attended the Park Central Church of Christ and was an active participant in the Lady's Bible Class that she dearly loved. There she was known for her faith and her handwork, her cooking and gardening with generosity as the common thread. She crocheted countless names and casserole carriers into her 80's. She was also a long time member of a quilt guild that met at United Methodist Temple in Port Arthur. Her green thumb allowed her to propagate and share many of her plants to friends and family. Mary also loved to make a yearly pilgrimage to central Texas to see the wildflowers and to Kirbyville to take the grandchildren to pick blueberries. Though Mary is gone, the fruit of her service, her love for us all, is still alive, and multiplied within each of us, spread far and wide in the world. Thanks be to God. A visitation for family and friends will begin at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, November 1, 2014 at Levingston Funeral Home in Groves followed by the funeral service at 2:00 p.m. with Mr. Jeremy Houck officiating. Burial will be at Oak Bluff Memorial Park. Pallbearers will be Josh Griffith, Nathan Griffith, Bobby Davis, Sam Griffith, Joel Burleson-Davis, Darren Bretting, Leighton Guarnere, and Braiden Guarnere. Honorary Pallbearers are Cody Bretting, Camden Guarnere, and Landen Guarnere. The family wishes to thank all of the caregivers at The Village of the Woodlands Waterway, to Heart to Heart Hospice, and the loving and caring staff of the Azalea House for the care given to Mary. In lieu of flowers, donation may be made to the youth program at Park Central Church of Church.