Jim was one of the first people that I met when I started working at Sandia in the mid-80’s.  He was my new project leader and mentor; we worked together for some 6+ years before I went to another project.  
He always had a smile on his face, quick to complement and willing to teach.  Jim was true to the phrase “lead by example” and was always respectful of others – even when he disagreed.  
Jim will be greatly missed. His smile was contagious. I feel honored to have worked along side him and to have considered him a friend for all these years.  May his memories live on.

I certainly enjoyed working with Jim at Sandia. He was a good teammate and also a good mentor. He was very kind (and humorous) in his approach to explaining a point of view that he held. And he would listen to counter arguments very generously and let me speak my mind, even if we disagreed. I believe he left the world in a better place by being honestly who he was and living that out every day. A very good man, I was blessed to have known him.

It was an honor to work with Jim during his career at Sandia Labs. We did several space related projects with Los Alamos National Labs Astrophysics group. He served as a technical liaison between the labs. Some of the projects are still in operation, launched in the late 1990's! Technical meetings with Applied Physics Lab in Laurel, MD, as part of the NASA ACE program, were memorable. Lab staff admired his technical expertise and project management qualities. He and wife Mildred were one of our first neighbors we met on Roma Avenue in 1984. His contributions were immense, his life memorable, and he will be greatly missed. Thanks for the memories, Ron Akau.

I worked with Jim for many years at Sandia on a number of projects.  He taught me a lot and was always willing and eager to jump in and solve problems.  I will always value our friendship and he will be missed.

I have known Jim for only a few years being on the D4C coalition and what a beautiful person he is.  Jim and I worked on technical items together, (him as the lead) and his knowledge was amazing.  Midred and he went near Socorro on a fishing excursion as Mildred was the queen of catching fish and I needed lessons.  Jim brought his fly fishing gear and me the bank fishing gear and we spent all day but no avail but still what a great memory.  We laughed as I had yet to catch any fish of any kind and Mildred would catch fish each time she went out but not on this one - which in itself was a question thinking it has to be me - bad vibes for the fish.  Jim was always willing to help in any capacity for his neighborhood, the zoning committee, website, email and Roberts rules "oversight" for me running the meetings.  Mildred would take my agenda's, minutes and clean them up for me and Jim was our By-laws guru and assisted us in so many ways that no one even knew how much detail he went into to assure we stayed compliant.   I miss you my friend - even though a short time we met - you just know "good" people,  when they come into your life for whatever reason, and he is just that o me and will always be - bless your heart Mildred and will be there is you need me - God bless you

OBITUARY

James Wesley Griffee

May 12, 1954 – August 8, 2025

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