Donald C. Griffith

He is survived by his wife, Kay Diane (Lane) Griffith, daughter Shelly Griffith, sons Donald Griffith and Ronald Griffith, grandchildren Tanya (Griffith) Davis, Mike Griffith, Chris Griffith, Brian and Crystal (Griffith) Miller, Jessica Linderman, and 4 great grandchildren all living in the Sarasota area. He is also survived by his step daughters and their husbands, Bob and Julie (Lane) DesRuisseux of Topeka, Kansas; and Mike and Debbie (Lane) Hewett of Wilmington, North Carolina. He is survived by his brother and wife, James and Ruth Griffith of Beloit, Ohio;his sisters and their husbands Earl and Virginia (Griffith) Bardo of Salem, Ohio; and Dick and Connie (Griffith) Hitchcock of Hilliard, Ohio. Also surviving are many nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews and lots of cousins in both the Ohio and Sarasota, Fl areas.

He was preceded in death by his parents Bren and Mabel(Bailey) Griffith, sisters Charlotte (Griffith) Berger, Edra (Griffith) Stewart, Lois Ann (Griffith) Jones, and infant grandson Steven Votaw.

Don's life was varied and interesting, starting with his first business venture after attending Goshen High School. He purchased a milk route and hauled milk for the local dairymen around the Salem/Damascus area for Sealtest Milk/Ice Cream Company into Cleveland, Ohio. A trip he made daily for five years without missing a single day. He was most proud of the first new Sohio Gas Station he built in his small home town of Damascus, Ohio which he proudly called Griff's Sohio. He not only operated the station and a wrecker service, but also drove school bus for many years. After selling the station, he owned and operated a used car lot in Salem called Don's Auto Sales.. He later worked as a new car salesman for Bud Wooley Chevrolet in Leetonia, Ohio where he earned the Legion of Leaders Award 4 years in a row for top Chevrolet salesman. Prior to moving to Florida he worked as District Sales Manager for the Hoover Vacuum Company.

Upon moving he and his family to Sarasota, Fl, in 1971, he purchased the Maridon Lodge on Washington Blvd (where the present Hess Gas Station was built a few years ago). While operating the motel he also worked for Jim Boast Dodge in Bradenton in their motor home sales department. Upon selling the Maridon Lodge, he owned and operated another motel in Sarasota on the South Trail, and many other business' in the area including Tropical Motor Mart (new motor home sales) in Bradenton, and an employment agency in Sarasota. Throughout all these years he bought, refurbished, and sold property and worked his last full-time job in mobile home sales at Camelot Lakes in Sarasota. He married his wife, Diane in 2005 who had been his companion for 17 years prior and helped out in both her interior design business' D. Lane Interiors and Decorating Partners. He had a long and prosperous career in sales and his accomplishments were many. He kept active almost to the very end having refurbished his last house which sold shortly before his death. Although the consummate salesman his entire life, he always said when he quit school his senior year, he didn't know what he wanted to do with his life. So he kept busy doing different things his entire life that he found challenging and rewarding and was successful at everything he did. Although a workaholic, he found time in his later years for his real passions which were gardening and playing golf and was so proud of his beautiful yard and flowers and his two "hole-in-one" golf trophies on two different Sarasota golf courses. He was an avid golfer, who could still shoot in the 80's on a good day and still played almost weekly up until 6 months prior to his death when his illness took over. He will be remembered by his family, friends, and golfing buddies as the life of the party with neverending stories (which he was always told he should "write a book" about). He always had a joke and a smile for everyone he met. He loved cars, the faster the better, and loved to tell the stories about racing his '50 Mercury at Daytona Beach. That was back when you raced on the sands at the beach when the tide went out before there was the NASCAR Daytona Speedway. Those were some of the best times of his life that he shared with his lifelong friend since grade school, Bob Wilkinson, of Eustis, Fl. They were still friends to this day and loved to talk about the "Good Ole Days". Don's life was filled with hard work, dedication, and compassion for both family and friends. He will be greatly missed by all.

Visitation in Florida will be at the Palms-Robarts Funeral Home at 170 Honore Ave in Sarasota on Sunday July 3,2011 from 6 - 8 pm. In lieu of flowers you are asked to donate to Tidewell Hospice of Sarasota at 5955 Rand Blvd.; Sarasota, Fl. 34238 or the American Cancer Society in Don's memory.

Funeral services will be held at the Stark Memorial Funeral Home at 1014 E. State St in Salem.

Ohio on Wednesday July 6, 2011 with visitation prior on Tuesday July 5, 2011 from 6-8 pm.

Don who was a birth-right Quaker will be buried in the Damascus Cemetery in Damascus, Ohio.

A dinner immediately following the services will be held at Salem Hills Golf & Country Club Restaurant at 12688 Salem-Warren Rd in Salem, Ohio where family and friends can gather to celebrate and honor Don's life.

Arrangements under the direction of Palms - Robarts Funeral Home & Memorial Park, Sarasota, FL.