Donald Christian Griffin Sr.

It is with profound sadness that the family shares the passing of Don Griffin on October 17. He was preceded in death by his parents, Morgan and Marjorie Griffin, formerly of Lakeland and Winter Park, and his infant daughter, Jennifer Anne.

Don moved to Winter Park from Pittsburgh, PA. as a teenager, graduating in the WPHS class of 1960. He received his B.S. from Rollins College in 1964, M.S. from Purdue University in 1966 and his Ph.D. from Purdue in Theoretical Atomic Physics in 1970. Joining the faculty of Rollins in 1970 as an Asst. Prof., he had a long and celebrated career in many areas of the college, while still maintaining a notable research presence in his area of expertise. He served Rollins, at different times, as Asst. Provost, acting Provost, Interim Dean of the Faculty and Department Chair. As a Fellow of the American Physical Society and the Institute of Physics, his research was conducted at Rollins, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Auburn University, Harvard University, Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics at Colorado University, where he was a Fellow, and many European institutions. His favorite professional identification was as a “teacher.” He retired from Rollins after 39 years.

Family always came first to Don, and he is survived by that large and loving family including his brothers, John (Loretta) Griffin of Monaca, PA and Jim (Nella) Griffin of Williamsburg, VA, cousin Judy Bell of Pittsburgh, PA, high school sweetheart and wife of 62+ years, Heather Marwick Griffin; he was a proud and loving Dad to son Chris and Francesca Corbly Griffin, Gainesville, and Daughter Kate Griffin Williams, Orlando, and an adoring and proud Pop Pop to grandchildren Zachary Williams, Aidan Griffin, Morgan Williams, Jacob Griffin and Andrew Griffin. As the big brother of the Marwick clan, Don is also survived by sisters and brothers Margaret (Michael) Connor, Bob (Gloria) Marwick, Beth Hathaway, Mary (Burr Stevens) Marwick, the Canadian sibs-in-law Tina May Luker (Tom Morrisey), Paul Campbell, and Suelynn Campbell,21 nieces and nephews and groups of greats and great greats.

Also left to remember their tough but caring physics professor are the many hundreds of students whose lives were directly affected by this caring teacher. He was a good man.

Final arrangements are not complete and will be announced at a later date.