John P. Griffin Jr., 79, of Wethersfield, beloved husband of 52 years to Margaret “Peg” (Lucey) Griffin, entered into eternal peace Friday November 27, 2009 at Maple View Manor. John was born in Hartford, September 21, 1930, son of the late John P. Sr. and Helen (Connors) Griffin, he resided in the Hartford area all his life, in Wethersfield since 1962. He attended and graduated from St. Thomas Seminary, Class of 1949, and Hillyer College (University of Hartford) where being the athlete he was, played on the Hawks baseball and basketball teams. John’s college time was split while he served as a US Army 2nd Ranger Group during the Korean Conflict, from 1951 until 1954, then came back to graduate 1955. He was a lifetime member of the Irish American Home Society, the 1991 Irishman of the Year, a member of the 1967& 1968 North American and US Gaelic Football Championship Teams. At one point he traveled for two weeks with the St. Louis Cardinals Travel Team playing one season in the Georgia-Florida League. Being a devoted athlete all his life, when he couldn’t participate in play, John was a great supporter of the University of Hartford Men’s and Women’s Basketball and Soccer Teams. He was a communicant of the Church of the Incarnation of Wethersfield. John was employed as a pharmaceutical sales rep. with Chas. Pfzier and Ciba-Geigy International retiring in 1986. In addition to his wife Peg, John will be fondly remembered by his loving family; his son and daughter in law, Patrick J. & Eileen Griffin of Wethersfield; two daughters and sons in law, Joan M. Griffin and John Morris of Dublin, NH, Maureen G. & Brian Jean of Westborough, MA; three granddaughters, Kate and Anna Griffin of Wethersfield, and Lucey Jean of Westborough, MA; two sisters, Helen G. Johnson, and Ann G. and Jerry Rourke, all of Farmington. Several nieces and nephews locally and in Ireland. He was predeceased by two sisters, Mary Rich and Kathleen Krul. Funeral procession from the Farley-Sullivan Funeral Home, 34 Beaver Rd, Wethersfield, will be held Tuesday December 1, 2009 at 9:15am, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00am in the Church of the Incarnation, 544 Prospect St., Wethersfield. Interment will be in the family plot at Rose Hill Memorial Park, 580 Elm St., Rocky Hill. Friends and relatives may call on the family Monday November 30, 2009 from 4-7pm at the Funeral Home. The Griffin family requests in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in John’s name to the University of Hartford Hawks Athletic Department, 200 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford, CT 06117. For online expressions of sympathy or further information, please visit farleysullivan.com.
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