Felix Griffin Jr.

Felix Griffin Jr. was born August 22, 1930, in Hamlin, AR, a small community in eastern Arkansas, to Felix and Elma Griffin. The Griffin family later moved to Forrest City, AR where Felix, Jr. graduated from high school in 1949. Upon graduation and blessed with a healthy work ethic as many of his era possessed, Felix moved to Memphis TN to temporally live with his Aunt Pauline and take up work as a plumber’s helper. However, on October 3, 1950, with the onset of the Korean War, Felix laid down his pipe wrench and enlisted into the United States Army where he served in active duty and later as an Army reservist until 1960. Felix attainted to the rank of Warrant Officer 1 as an Army soldier. Throughout his military career serving his country and neighbor in the fight for freedom, Felix was stationed, at one time or another, at West Point, Fort Breckenridge, and Fort Campbell.

On Felix’s return to Memphis from active duty, he re-entered the plumbing trade which he enjoyed and would later find great success. Throughout his plumbing career, Felix was licensed in Memphis and Nashville Tennessee and lastly, in Austin, Texas (January 1963). In 1964, Felix founded American Plumbing and Heating. Felix Griffin, Jr., dba American Plumbing and Heating, would go on to employ numerous licensed plumbers and plumber’s helpers throughout her sixty years of operation and service in the greater Austin community. Felix loved the City of Austin and the people of Austin. He would dabble here and there in buying and selling real estate, building homes, farming, and ranching, but his bread-and-butter employment was always that of the plumbing trade which brought him great joy through serving and helping the community of Austin with their plumbing needs.

Felix cared for people and enjoyed the nature about him. He seemed to always have a cat or two around the house, and for the past forty-years fed the wildlife that made their home, near his. Felix also enjoyed sports. Having been raised in eastern Arkansas, Felix faithfully followed the Arkansas Razorbacks’ football and basketball programs throughout his lifetime.

Felix was preceded in death by his father, mother and all his siblings, his wonderful wives Dorothy, Della, and lastly Martha, all beautiful women he was married to in different eras of his life, his son Lowell Farmer, daughter Maria Farmer Beck and granddaughter Jordan Griffin.

Felix is survived by sons Gary (Griffin) Woodson and wife Liz; Felix Griffin, III, Keith Kietlinski, Kenny Kietlinski, Wendell Farmer and wife Joanna, and Lanny Farmer; daughter Karen Griffin; granddaughters Kara Kietlinski, Mary Woodson, Remi Griffin; grandsons Kasey Kietlinski, Kaleb Griffin, Joshua Woodson, Nathaniel Woodson, Jacob Woodson, Joel Griffin; Robert Doar, Christopher Doar, and Daniel Doar; great-grandson Mateo Doar, and Jacob Langdale; great-granddaughters Kalie Kietlinski; Isabela Doar, Carmen Langdale, and Brooklyn Langdale; great-great granddaughter Lola Marie Langdale.

While Felix was never one to attend church on a regular basis, he was, however, a man of belief in God as Creator and Sustainer of this great universe in which we live. After several theological discussions on the merits of the Christian faith, observations of intelligent design, readings in Genesis and The Gospel of John, Felix Griffin, Jr., on May 3, 2024, in humility and sincerity of heart, reverently bowed his head as he feebly sat on the side of his bed, and through prayer, confessed his sins to God, sought His mercy, and expressed his faith in Jesus Christ alone for the salvation of his soul and eternal life, in Him.

A visitation for Felix will be held Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 12:00 PM at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park, 6300 West William Cannon Drive, Austin, Texas 78749. Following the visitation will be a funeral service at 1:00 PM.