J.L. “Jake” Griffith of Midland, passed away on Saturday, October 19, 2019, two days after his 96th birthday. Services will be held at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home Chapel on Thursday, October 24 at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Odessa.Jake was born on October 17, 1923 in the backwoods of Lincoln County, Oklahoma to George and Emma Griffith. He was the seventh child of thirteen and spent his early years working on the family farm. He quit school after seventh grade to help support his family and eventually became a part of the Civilian Conservation Corps improving and building national parks and camping areas across the country. He served in the U.S. Navy on an aircraft carrier in the South Pacific during World War II and after his discharge went home to Oklahoma where he went to work for Phillips Petroleum in Bartlesville. He eventually wound up in Goldsmith, Texas where he met and married his wife of fifty years, Patsy. He continued to work for Phillips in the Goldsmith area for thirty-seven years until his retirement in 1984.He served as a deacon in the First Baptist Church of Goldsmith and loved singing in the choir. He was active in Little League Baseball and Boy Scouts and anything else his son Terry was involved in. He was always ready and willing to help anyone with his time and skills and always took care of his entire family. After retirement it was off to Brownwood Lake to enjoy his passion of fishing. He and Patsy spent twenty years enjoying life at the lake before moving back to Odessa just before their fiftieth anniversary. His wife, Patsy, passed away just months later and he continued to live in Odessa until just three weeks ago when he moved into a senior living facility in Midland.Jake is survived by his son, Terry Griffith and his wife, Mitzi, of Midland. A grandson, Michael Drummond and his wife, Jennifer, of Midland, and a granddaughter, Stephanie Humphrey and her husband, Kaleb, of Midland. He is also survived by two great granddaughters, Madigan Drummond and Macie Drummond, both of Midland. He is also survived by one sister, Minnie Pettitt of Sulphur, Oklahoma, and one special sister-in-law, Etta Watson of Odessa. He had many nieces and nephews and one very special niece, Teresa Blau of Odessa.Jake was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Patsy, one brother and ten sisters.The family would like to thank all of those who made his life the great life that it was and in particular those who helped care for him late in life, especially his niece Teresa Blau and her husband Randall. Although he only lived there for three weeks before he passed, a special thanks to the staff at Legacy Ranch Senior Living Facility. They made his last days with us very special with their commitment to his care and well-being as well as showing love for a man they barely knew. Thank you to all.He always loved kids and kids loved him so in lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made locally to the 3:11 Ministries that helps young children in need in our public schools.Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences may be made at www.npwelch.com.,
