Griffin remembered by the community
By Loreen Berlin
Former Buena Park mayor Don Roger Griffin, 87, has passed away. Griffin served for 22 years and eight months on the Buena Park City Council; six years as Mayor and four as Mayor Pro Tem before retiring in 1996.
Former City Clerk Shalice Tilton said, “Don Griffin was one of the fathers of Buena Park and helped to shape the community as it is today; his whole person was about doing what was best for Buena Park.”
In a congratulatory memo from the city, Griffin was praised for his years of service as having been diligent and conscientious in an effort to improve the economic, cultural, and aesthetic development of the city and in maintaining high standards and a quality of service that would benefit the community for many years.
“Councilman Griffin always demonstrated a willingness to place his concern for the public-good ahead of his personal interests and his performance of the duties and responsibilities of a Councilman have been characterized by excellent and constructive contributions to the Municipal Government in Buena Park.”
During his service on Council, Griffin also served on many city and county committees and was elected president of the Southern California Association of Government and Joint Chair of the OC Sanitation District, and was instrumental in establishing the I-5 Freeway Construction of adjoining cities to work together for the first time on a mutual freeway.
The city thanked Griffin for his distinguished service and outstanding leadership and expressed appreciation and gratitude for his years of devoted service to the community.
“We’ve been here for more than 60 years,” said his wife Corky. “We were active and attended lots of events and had a lot of fun; one being the Wax Museum where Carol Burnett kissed Don on his cheek and I have a picture of that.”
Griffin is credited with being in charge of the first parades and rodeo Buena Park held.
Griffin was an architect by profession and before his service on Council helped to shape the city as it is today, designing the new St. Pius V Catholic Church sanctuary at the corner of Beach Blvd. and Orangethorpe Ave. in Buena Park and he also designed and built the Catholic Parrish Hall there that was completed in 1999.
Griffin was also the architect of the former police station, fire station, and the Buena Park Senior Center, for which he received an award.
Pat Donnelly, chair of the annual Buena Park Silverado Days, described Griffin as “A special kind of guy. I never heard him say a bad word about anyone; whether or not you agreed with him you always felt that he listened to you. Don was mayor of our town more times than any other council person in the history of the city. He was always concerned about others and he was well-known at the Speech and Language Development Center,” said Donnelly. “When I last saw Don we were reminiscing about Silverado Days and going through his Silverado Days pin collection and while we were sorting the pins we talked about his experience as a Sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Arlington National Cemetery. That’s a huge honor. Also, I worked with Don on the Bicentennial Committee, which was celebrated on a grand scale in Buena Park.”
Griffin is also described by those who knew him as “A wonderful man of service and certainly a good friend of the Buena Park Noon Lions Club; his wife Corky and he enjoyed many Silverado Days and as recently as two years ago.”
The Speech and Language Development Center Finance Director Steve Fifield, CPA, said Griffin was a long-time friend and supporter of the Speech and Language Development Center (SLDC).
“Don’s relationship with the Center began in the early days with the founders of SLDC, Aleen Agranowitz and Gladys Gleason; Don was a true friend and understood the importance of the work at SLDC. The Center began a major expansion and rehabilitation as Don was entering his retirement years, but he committed himself to the architecture and project management of the expansion and his devotion ensured its success,” said Fifield. “The result was that SLDC was able to improve the aging facility to continue offering service to many children with special needs.”
Fifield also noted that Griffin was responsible for the design and construction management of the SLDC preschool and early elementary school.
“In addition, his efforts with the new Communication Center now stands as the therapy hub that benefits so many students. His efforts will forever be appreciated by the SLDC family.”
Fifield shared that Griffin was one of the soldiers at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, who wore the Gold Wreath Medallion, signifying his second year of service commitment to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
“An honor indeed. Requiescat in Pace, Don—a prayer for the repose and rest in peace of the deceased.”
Griffin is survived by his wife of 61 years, Gladys “Corky” Griffin; four remaining children—two sons and two daughters, Steve Griffin, Mike Griffin, Debbie Griffin-Beebe, and Susan Griffin-Howe; and seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
A graveside service was held at the Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Orange.
