George William Griggs

Obituary: George William Griggs of Kannapolis, North Carolina, a World War II Army veteran and retired manager of special projects for Cannon Mills Company, died December 4, 2012 at CMC-NorthEast Medical Center, in Concord, NC. He was 88 years old. Mr. Griggs was preceded in death by his wife, Faynell Grayson Griggs, and siblings Lanis Nesmith ("Bucky") Griggs and Mary Ruth Coleman. He is survived by his son George William ("Bill") Griggs, Jr. and wife Jane of Matthews, NC, his son Eugene ("Gene") Steven Griggs and wife Julie of Charlotte, NC, grandchildren Paul William, Margaret Catherine, Mary Elizabeth and George William III, siblings Robert E. Griggs of Society Hill, SC and Nell Griggs Oliver of Florence, SC, and friend Alleen Pence of Kannapolis. Born March 16, 1924 in Society Hill, SC, to the late Nell Nesmith Griggs and George Griffin Griggs, he was the first born child of three boys and two girls. He was an active member of Welsh Neck Baptist Church and was educated at St. David's Academy in Society Hill (Class of 1941). Mr. Griggs attended Furman University before aiding in the war effort during 1942-43 by working on the construction of Donaldson Air Force Base in Greenville, South Carolina and for W. C. Shepherd Co., Inc. on the construction of Camp McCall in Maxton, North Carolina. Mr. Griggs entered military service in 1943 and trained with the 69th Infantry Division at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. He then transferred to the Army Air Forces and flew as an aerial engineer with the 1st Air Commando Group in India and Burma. He was awarded Crew Member Wings, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, the Good Conduct Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Medal with 3 Bronze Campaign Stars and several campaign and victory medals. Following his honorable discharge from military service, Mr. Griggs entered Clemson College and graduated in the Class of 1949 with a B.S. degree in Textile Manufacturing. He immediately entered the management trainee program at Cannon Mills Company where for 40 years he held a number of management positions until his retirement in 1989 as the Manager of Special Projects. His community service and associations included Trinity United Methodist Church, where he served in numerous roles including several terms as Chairman of the Board of Trustees and President of the W. J. Bullock Bible Class, Clemson Alumni Association, The American Legion (Life Member), 1st Air Commando Association, CBI (China-Burma-India) Veterans Association and Fighting 69th Infantry Division Association, Inc. He also volunteered with Boy Scout Troop 36 (First Presbyterian Church) during the 1970s and 1980, and Cabarrus Meals on Wheels for 20 years. The family will receive friends at Whitley's Funeral Home in Kannapolis on Friday, December 7, from 6pm to 8pm. A funeral service will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church on Saturday, December 8, at 2pm, with burial to follow in Carolina Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice & Palliative Care of Cabarrus County, 5003 Hospice Lane, Kannapolis, NC 28081; Welsh Neck Baptist Church, P.O. Box 28, Society Hill, SC 29593; or Trinity United Methodist Church, 416 East 1st Street, Kannapolis, NC 28083.
Visitation: 6:00 P.M. -8:00 P.M. Friday December 7, 2012 Whitley's Funeral Home

Service: 2:00 P.M. Saturday December 8, 2012 Trinity United Methodist Church

Interment: Carolina Memorial Park