Margaret Louise (Grimm) Griffin

Margaret Louise Grimm Griffin of Rochester Hills, Michigan, died October 14, 2024 at the age of 82 years following a decade struggling with Primary Progressive Aphasia. She was born in Evansville, Indiana on February 26, 1942. She was Valedictorian of the first graduating class of Castle High School, Class of 1960, in Newburgh, Indiana. She earned the B.S. degree in Nursing Magna Cum Laude in 1964 from the University of Evansville (IN) and was Valedictorian of that class as well. She was a member and officer in Phi Mu social sorority, elected to the academic fraternity of Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Theta Tau International Society of Nursing, and served as President of St. Barbara's Guild at Trinity Episcopal Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In her youth she was a Worthy Advisor in the Masonic order of Rainbow Girls and served in other youth organizations.

On September 5, 1960, she married Larry William Griffin and began her life-long career in nursing at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in the Medical-Surgical ICU unit. When the couple moved to Murray, Kentucky she worked as a university infirmary nurse. They returned to Evansville where she was an instructor at her alma mater's school of nursing and completed the Master of Science degree during summers at Indiana University. Upon moving to Bloomington, Indiana in 1974, she did course work on a doctorate in adult education and became a visiting nurse for Monroe County. In 1985, the family moved to Fort Wayne, Indiana where she was employed as a visiting nurse for Allen County. Later she became an instructor at Lutheran College of Health Professions and retired as Director of the Associate Degree Nursing Program at the University of St. Francis School of Nursing. At both of the latter academic institutions she was heavily involved in accreditation activity.

Throughout her life her hobbies were photography and genealogical research. She, her husband and family traveled throughout the U.S. and the world, including such places as the arctic region of Alaska and Svalbard Island north of Norway to photograph wildlife. In 1981-82 she and her family lived in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1985, she spent three months living with her family in Jakarta, Indonesia and in 1990 returned to visit Sumatra, Java and Bali.

Margaret is survived by her loving husband and best friend of 60 years, Larry William Griffin; a son John William Griffin (spouse: Pamala Kim Griffin); a daughter Jennifer Leigh Gregorio (spouse: Timothy Paul Gregorio), and five grandchildren: William Arthur Griffin, John Russell "Jack" Griffin, Lauren Marie Gregorio, Alexander Nicholas Gregorio, and Eric Christian Gregorio.

Funeral services will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church in Fort Wayne, Indiana at a future date.

Contributions may be made, per Margaret's request, to one's local pet shelter.