Military couple earn special salute

For the Griffith family, a somber time was made a little lighter recently when hospice workers presented flags and a plaque in honor of decades of service to the United States.

Merry, 66, and Jack, 74, spent nearly 50 years combined in the U.S. Air Force. It’s where they met and where they fell in love.

Now, with Merry Griffith facing her last days in hospice care, it’s the reason for a family celebration.

We Honor Veterans, a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in collaboration with the Department of Veterans Affairs, connects hospices, hospitals and VA facilities to the veterans who are dealing with end-of-life care.

For Merry, who served in South Korea, Turkey and stateside, a grateful country was happy to honor her for her experience.

“She was an Air Force nurse for 20 years,” Jack said. “She was commissioned in 1971 and retired in 1991 as a major.”

When the hospice workers arrived at the Griffiths’ Lakeside home, the atmosphere was quiet and reflective. 

But after the presentation of American flags, a plaque thanking Merry and Jack for their service and a group singing of “America the Beautiful,” the room livened up. Merry was all smiles (and a few happy tears) and Jack told a few stories of their past together.

Ret. Maj. Merry Griffith grew up in Bedford, Pennsylvania, and met Jack in Kent, Ohio, after she signed up for the Air Force. He was a professor of aerospace studies at Kent State University at the time.

“Merry entered with a nursing school diploma as a second lieutenant,” he said. “Later they sent her to get a bachelor’s of nursing and that’s why she was in Kent. I was the (Air Force) ROTC detachment commander at the time. We met, got married, and will be celebrating 33 years on the 22nd of May.”

The Griffiths have two sons, Chris, 29, who is active duty U.S. Navy, and Michael, who is in the pharmacy doctorate program at Midwestern University in Arizona. 

Following their mother’s medical footsteps, Chris serves as a hospital corpsman at Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois. He provides health care to enlisted sailors and Marines and their families. Michael will be returning to the Flathead valley soon to work at a pharmacy in Lakeside and eventually at the pharmacy at Kalispell Regional Healthcare.

Michael Baer, the hospice chaplain who ran the event at the Griffith household, had nothing but good things to say about Merry and Jack’s service.

“We appreciate our veterans for advancing the universal hope of freedom and liberty for all,” he said. “We’re still the best country in the world and we’re free thanks to your service. Your service will not be forgotten.”

Baer read Psalm 91, “the warrior’ psalm.”

During her service, Merry received the meritorious service medal, an Air Force outstanding unit award with one oak leaf cluster, a national defense service medal with one bronze star and a slew of other medals, including a small arms expert marksmanship ribbon.

She flew in a C-9A Nightingale and a C-130 Hercules and served on a reception committee for returning Vietnam POWs.

“She did just about everything,” Jack said. “I’m certainly very proud of her.”

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.