Della was born in Koshkonong, Missouri on October 4, 1935, the second child of Euleta May (Jackson) Reed and Clarence Henry Reed, after her brother Henry Jackson Reed (“Jack”).
She grew up in Kansas City at 4140 E. 6th St. and graduated from Northeast High School, where she met her first husband, Edward Carl Griffin Sr. She and Ed had four children together.
Della later was remarried to Kenneth Orlo Thompson Sr., whom she stayed with until the end of his life, acting as his home caregiver in his final years.
She began her adult life as a stay-at-home mother, and worked part-time as a secretary when her children got older. In later years, she worked full-time as secretary, and was a financial analyst at Twentieth Century Investments before her retirement.
Della is survived by her son Edward Carl Griffin Jr. and Ed’s wife Jody Griffin; her daughter, Sherry Lynn (Griffin) Vaughn and Sherry’s husband, Larry Vaughn; by her son, Barry Scott Griffin Sr, Barry’s wife Carol Griffin, and his son Barry Scott Griffin Jr. (“Scott”), and Scott’s sons Christopher and Matthew Griffin; by Della’s son, Grant Reed Griffin, Grant’s wife Elaine Griffin, and their children Alexander Reed Griffin, Zachary Edward Griffin, and Jennifer Elaine Griffin.
