Griffith Thomas

YOUNGSTOWN - Funeral services will be held on Friday at 11:30 a.m. at the Higgins-Reardon Funeral Homes, Austintown Chapel for Griffith Vinson Thomas, 94, who passed away at his home, with his family by his side.

Griffith was born Oct. 23, 1922, in Portage, Pa., a son of the late, David and Mabel (Jones) Thomas.

Griffith served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. He participated in action against the enemy at Tarawa, Saipan, Titian and Okinawa.

He graduated from Youngstown State University and was a retired attorney. He was an assistant secretary of GF Business Equipment Inc. In-House Counsel for 35 years and Limited Service Faculty in YSU's History Department.

Griffith was a member and past chairman of the Austintown Zoning Board of Appeals, past president of Austintown Historical Society, past president of Riverside Manor Inc. and Parkside Manor Inc., past president and executive committee member of the of Austintown Growth Foundation, member of Austintown Trustees Special Task Force on Parks and Recreations, chairman and board of directors of Austintown 4th of July Celebration, elected to Austintown Hall Fame of Outstanding Community Service, and was named as Austintown Man of the Year.

He was active in the Women's Welsh Clubs of America, where he was trustee-at-large, chairman of the Finance and Investment committee, chairman of the Bylaws Revision committee, and member of the Scholarship committee.

He was elected as Welsh Man of the Year by St. David Society of Youngstown, where he served as past president. Kiwanis International was another club that Griffith was active in, where he was past president and member of the board of directors for the Austintown Club, and was a distinguished past lieutenant governor Division 21 Ohio District.

He was also very involved in the AARP Austintown Chapter 4339 board of trustees, the Ohio State Coordinator HAS, the Ohio State Leadership council, the Ohio State Legislative committee, where he served as chairman.

Griffith was a longtime member of the Richard Brown Memorial United Methodist Church, where he was chairperson of the administrative board and the trustees. He also loved singing in their choir for many years.

Griffith leaves his wife of 70 years, Carol J. Thomas, whom he married Sept. 18, 1946; two daughters, Cynthia (Robert) Sweetapple of Boardman and Bronwyn (Robert) Thomas Ferrier of Stroudsburg, Pa.; four grandchildren, Lisa Pedro, Robert Sweetapple II, Carolann Ferrier, and Abigail Ferrier; and a great-granddaughter, Lindsay Pedro.

Griffith was preceded in death by a sister, Rhoda Pierce; and a brother, William D. Thomas.

Family and friends may call Friday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, material tributes may take the form of donations to MVI Hospice, 4891 Belmont Ave., Youngstown, OH 44505, and the Western Reserve United Methodist Church, 4580 Canfield Road, Canfield, OH 44406.