Darrell Gene Griffin passed away unexpectedly on August 26, 2021 in Manteca, California. He was 75 years old.
Darrell was born in Evansville, Indiana, January 9, 1946, to Jewel and Doris Griffin. When Darrell was three years old the family immigrated from Indiana to Sunnyside, Washington where the family operated a small farm. On January 28, 1966 he enlisted in the United States Navy as a submarine electronics technician and attended the Naval Nuclear Power School class of 1968. His duration of service was six years with three years of foreign/at sea service. He served aboard the USS Henry Clay. While enlisted he earned a National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Award, and a Meritorious Unit Commendation. He was honorably discharged on September 16, 1971 from his last duty assignment in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
On February 15, 1969 he married Kathleen Brown in Absecon, New Jersey. The pair eventually settled in Livermore, California where he began his career at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in nuclear defense. During his career at LLNL he often split his time between LLNL and Pantex Defense Nuclear Facility in Amarillo, Texas where he worked on a nuclear decommissioning program as part of a multinational treaty. Darrell retired in 2007 after 25 years of service as an Information System Security Officer overseeing classified computers and the information exchange of classified information.
In 1990 the family moved to Manteca, CA where Darrell continued to be active in coaching soccer and refereeing soccer with his best friend Fred Stiver. Darrell and Fred coached soccer together in Livermore and Manteca, and continued to stay active refereeing and coaching for many years.
Darrell is survived by his wife Kathleen, his children, Patti Griffin (Manteca, CA), Darrell Griffin Jr. and his wife Catrina Griffin (Stockton, CA), and Christine Griffin (Santa Barbara, CA). Darrell is survived by his grandchildren, Mark Otvos and his fiancé Nicole Cederquist (Manteca, CA), Tyler Pilliod and wife Christina Pilliod (Modesto, CA), Alannah Griffin (Lodi, CA), and Cara Griffin (San Jose, CA). Darrell is survived also by his great-grandchildren Priscilla Pilliod and Delilah Pilliod. Darrell is also survived by his two siblings, Donna Griffin and Roger Griffin of Washington. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jewel and Doris.
P.L. Fry & Son Funeral Home is honored to serve the Griffin family. The family will hold a celebration of life to honor Darrell’s memory in spring of 2022. Everyone who remembers him is asked to celebrate Darrell’s life in their own way, raising a glass of their favorite drink in his memory.
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
Darrell was born in Evansville, Indiana, January 9, 1946, to Jewel and Doris Griffin. When Darrell was three years old the family immigrated from Indiana to Sunnyside, Washington where the family operated a small farm. On January 28, 1966 he enlisted in the United States Navy as a submarine electronics technician and attended the Naval Nuclear Power School class of 1968. His duration of service was six years with three years of foreign/at sea service. He served aboard the USS Henry Clay. While enlisted he earned a National Defense Service Medal, Good Conduct Award, and a Meritorious Unit Commendation. He was honorably discharged on September 16, 1971 from his last duty assignment in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
On February 15, 1969 he married Kathleen Brown in Absecon, New Jersey. The pair eventually settled in Livermore, California where he began his career at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in nuclear defense. During his career at LLNL he often split his time between LLNL and Pantex Defense Nuclear Facility in Amarillo, Texas where he worked on a nuclear decommissioning program as part of a multinational treaty. Darrell retired in 2007 after 25 years of service as an Information System Security Officer overseeing classified computers and the information exchange of classified information.
In 1990 the family moved to Manteca, CA where Darrell continued to be active in coaching soccer and refereeing soccer with his best friend Fred Stiver. Darrell and Fred coached soccer together in Livermore and Manteca, and continued to stay active refereeing and coaching for many years.
Darrell is survived by his wife Kathleen, his children, Patti Griffin (Manteca, CA), Darrell Griffin Jr. and his wife Catrina Griffin (Stockton, CA), and Christine Griffin (Santa Barbara, CA). Darrell is survived by his grandchildren, Mark Otvos and his fiancé Nicole Cederquist (Manteca, CA), Tyler Pilliod and wife Christina Pilliod (Modesto, CA), Alannah Griffin (Lodi, CA), and Cara Griffin (San Jose, CA). Darrell is survived also by his great-grandchildren Priscilla Pilliod and Delilah Pilliod. Darrell is also survived by his two siblings, Donna Griffin and Roger Griffin of Washington. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jewel and Doris.
P.L. Fry & Son Funeral Home is honored to serve the Griffin family. The family will hold a celebration of life to honor Darrell’s memory in spring of 2022. Everyone who remembers him is asked to celebrate Darrell’s life in their own way, raising a glass of their favorite drink in his memory.
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Tuesday, August 31, 2021
