Cathleen Carol Whillhite Griffin

TAHLEQUAH, OK – Cathleen Carol Griffin was born on November 22nd, 1952 in Wilyville, CA, the daughter of Gene and Jessie Ethel (Farmer) Willhite Sr. She attended school at Manteca High School in California. Following high school, she attended the Northeastern Beauty College and later obtained her Bachelors Degree in Social Services from Northeastern State University. She used her degree to serve others first as a Dental Assistant for 6 years and after that, she worked for DHS as a Social Worker and her final 20 years of she devoted herself to the people of the Cherokee nation as the Supervisor of Food Distribution. For all the work she did for others, she was a dedicated and loving mother and grandmother. She was proud of her three children, Jay, Candice, and Libby and followed all of their accomplishments with pride. There was no better day than one spent in the company of her grandchildren, Shyann, Emma, and Koby. Every holiday or weekend that was spent with her grandbabies was special indeed. She possessed a warm smile and an easy going manner that made people feel at ease. She enjoyed relaxing at home with her family working crossword puzzles or reading from her Bible. A Christian by faith, she attended the Pentecostal Church. The Lord called this good and faithful servant home from her labors on June 12th, 2014 in Tahlequah, OK. She was 61 years old. Cathleen will be greatly missed by her family for all her love she shared and by all those whose lives she tried to improve.

Cathleen is preceded in death by her father and by one brother, Charles Willhite.

Those left to cherish her memory include her loving children, Jay Griffin of Tahlequah, OK, Candice McCollum of Woodall, OK and Libby Brannon of Keys, OK. Other family include her mother, Jessie Willhite, of Tahlequah, OK, and her brother and sisters, Gene T. Willhite Jr. Evelyn Armontrout and Pamela “Pam” Hood. Cathleen’s legacy lives on in her three adored grandchildren, Shyann, Emma Leeann Griffin, and Koby McCollum as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones.