William M Griffith

Born in La Junta, Colorado in 1927, Bill served as a Sergeant with the 8th Air Vehicle Repair Squadron of the U.S. Army until 1947. He was stationed in Germany where he repaired, maintained, overhauled and rebuilt engines of all types of military vehicles. He was then later stationed at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming. Bill moved to California in 1951 where he met the love of his life, Arline Arbuckle of Port Hueneme. They were married for 61 joyous years.

Bill worked for the U.S. Postal Service for thirty-five years, where he was Fleet Operations Manager for all U.S. Postal vehicles in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Bill retired on his 55th birthday in 1982 and he and Arline began their trip of a lifetime and spent twenty years traveling around the United States in their motor home visiting family and friends.

Bill was a member of the Elks Club in Oxnard for over 50 years and truly enjoyed the camaraderie that the club offered. He was a lifelong fan of baseball, especially his L.A. Angels and a lifelong player of games. There was not a card game he did not enjoy. He and Arline both enjoyed cards and enjoyed gambling and slot machines, especially in Laughlin, Nevada, where they shared many wonderful memories.

Bill was an avid gardener who grew beautifully fragrant roses that would have made Luthur Burbank proud. His dichondra lawn was one of his ultimate gardening achievements, which was admired by lawn aficionados from all over the country and beyond, much to the dismay of the neighborhood children who wanted to play on it.

He was a very loving father and proud to have his family around him and he and Arline visited them often.

Bill is survived by his loving wife, Arline; his three children; Gary Griffith (wife Patty) of Sonoma, Calif., Cheryl Hooper (husband Bob) of Tomball, Texas and David Tarrant of Grosse Pointe, Michigan; six grandchildren; thirteen great grandchildren; and one great great grandchild. Bill will be deeply missed by his sister, Dorothy Lind of Ventura, her husband Bill Lind and five nieces and nephews.

William will be laid to rest at Ivy Lawn Memorial Park in Ventura. There will be no service.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Ted Mayr Funeral Home, 3150 Loma Vista Rd., Ventura.