Richard Francis Griffin

Richard Francis Griffin passed from this life on September 18, 2026 (at age 94) in Bethany, Oklahoma. He is survived by his three sons (Mark, Steve and Philip), their spouses, nine grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his wife Helen Griffin (nee Scantling) and great-grandson Charlie.

He was born and raised near Greenville, Mississippi and attended Mississippi State University, where he ran track and majored in agriculture. After a two-year stint in the Army (post-war Germany) he attended Moody Bible Institute, where he met Helen. Together, they joined the fledgling missionary organization which would later be called Operation Mobilization (OM).

Richard and Helen served as career missionaries in Mexico for almost 50 years. During that time, he trained church leaders, organized Billy-Graham-style evangelistic events, and led a church (Compaňerismo Cristiano Misionero) in the city of Cuernavaca.

A bilingual (English/Spanish) memorial service will be held in his honor at Lick Creek Cemetery in Booneville, Arkansas at 11 AM on October 31, 2026. It will be recorded and streamed online for the benefit of those unable to attend in person.