F. Griffin Weyforth III

Born June 6, 1966 to Mara Kelley and Frank G. Weyforth, Griffin grew up in St. Louis and moved to Overland Park, Kansas in middle school. After graduating from Shawnee Mission South High School in 1984, he continued his education as a Jayhawk at the University of Kansas.

While studying architecture there, his studio group became a new family as they worked long, tedious hours together. He spent much of that time sending his friends into delirious laughter, coming up with witty “Griffisms” and doing imitations of different movie characters. To the campus, he was known as “Barney’s dad” as his dog, a black lab shepherd, would pick him up from class every day. He was a staunch KU sports fan, and could be found supporting the Jayhawks, especially at basketball and football games.

Griffin was a lover of the outdoors — especially the Lake of the Ozarks, which was where he met his wife, Kathy. Both worked at the lake in Summer 1989 on their college breaks. He was a bartender, and she was a waitress, and during slow days they would talk for hours. The two realized they had many friends in common, and quickly became best friends.

Kathy was hesitant to ruin their friendship, but Griffin proved he was up for the challenge, agreeing to drive up to Michigan for a large family reunion with her two brothers before they even began dating. By the time the reunion came around, they were officially together. They shared 33 years of marriage that grew from that friendship into the deep love that followed, along with three children of whom he was immensely proud.

After college, Griffin moved to Kansas City, where Kathy later joined him. The two briefly worked together again at Gould Evans architecture firm, doing AMC Theaters survey work before Griffin landed a full time position. After Gould Evans, he worked as a licensed architect for the Blue Valley School District, Applebees as a project architect, Genesis, Larson Binkley, AMC Theatres (again), and most recently the GSA branch of the government. Griffin had a wealth of knowledge, and with his photographic memory, he had an answer to most questions. He also brought his humor and wit to these positions, where he made lifelong friends.

Sarcasm was just one of his many talents. Sometimes, you couldn’t be sure if he was actually listening or just trying to come up with a joke. Making people laugh brought him joy, and he loved when others would join in to “give him the business.” He also used his photographic memory to create an inventory of obscure movie quotes, which he always had on hand.

Along with spending time at the lake, Griffin’s happy place was anywhere he could hike. He rarely took a trip without his Camelbak and hiking boots. He also ran multiple trail marathons. He loved traveling too, and was determined to learn as much history as he could. On the day the Berlin Wall fell, he was there to witness it himself. He was resourceful, and tested that on nights studying abroad in Copenhagen where he navigated his way home by the stars on his bike (before GPS.)

Griffin was a family man. He often attended Weyforth family PFAs and loved visiting the Hrdlicka farm for Thanksgiving. He cherished time with his wife and children, often leading them into some sort of outdoor expedition. His family wasn’t just limited to his relatives, as he endeared himself to everyone he met and considered his friends to be a part of his family as well.

His cancer diagnosis never defined him. His fortitude and sarcastic wit showed those around him the type of fighter he was up to his last day. He was determined to find treatment options that allowed him as much time (and as many adventures) as possible, which he found through his integrative cancer care in California.

He had a strong faith, which carried him through all difficulties. Fittingly, his patron was St. Joseph, patron saint of fathers, families and travelers. Pivotal times in his faith journey were the Christ Renews his Parish and Cloisters on the Platte retreats. He attended Ascension Catholic Church, where he was a eucharistic minister. He was especially passionate about prison ministry, and served that community often.

He is survived by his loving wife, Kathy; their three children, Maxwell Griffin (Sara Venier), Jack Delos, and Jenna Kathleen; his parents, Mara Kelley and Frank G. Weyforth; his stepmother, Didi; his sisters, Wendy (Bill) Talley and Kelley (Tim) Haas. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Connie Fitzhenry; his siblings-in-law, Dan (Stacy) Fitzhenry, Michael (Elena) Fitzhenry and Colleen (Andy) Filla; as well as his nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and many other family members and numerous friends.

He is preceded in death by his father-in-law, Daniel Fitzhenry Sr.; aunt, P.J. Drummond; and uncles, John Stewart Weyforth, Tom Weyforth, Peter Kelley and Rhett Dawson.

He will also be survived by his many “Griffisms,” which will carry on his legacy with humor and laughter.

A visitation will be held at McGilley State Line Chapel, 12301 State Line Road, Kansas City, MO, on Thursday, June 11 from 4-7p.m. The Rosary will be prayed at 4pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Church of the Ascension on Friday, June 12 at 10 a.m., with burial to follow at Mount Moriah Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Cancer Action. https://www.razmobile.com/canceractionKC