Merry Beth Griffith, 66
Merry Beth Griffith, 66, passed away peacefully at her home in Lakeside on Saturday, May 16, 2015, after a truly courageous two-year battle with cancer.
She was born in Somerset, Pennsylvania, in 1949 and spent the majority of her childhood years in nearby Bedford, Pennsylvania, attending local grade and high schools. Merry initially obtained a nursing diploma from the Altoona (Pennsylvania) School of Nursing.
In 1971 she was commissioned a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force and began a successful 20-year career retiring as a major. While in the service, Merry obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Kent State University in 1982 and also met her future husband, a Kent State professor of aerospace studies. Merry and Jack Griffith would have celebrated their 33rd anniversary on May 22.
In the U.S. Air Force, Merry held various clinical nurse leadership positions as well as served as a flight nurse on the C-9 Nightingale and C-130 Hercules aircraft in the United States and Turkey, respectively. In 1971, she was part of the stateside welcoming contingent for returning Vietnam POWs. Merry was stationed in many places throughout her career, including Arizona, Illinois, Maryland, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, as well as South Korea. Among her military decorations are the Meritorious Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.
After her Air Force retirement, she volunteered in the public school system in Scottsdale, Arizona, and served as a tour guide at the Phoenix Zoo.
Merry enjoyed travel and loved to visit her two favorite national parks, Grand Canyon and Glacier National Park. Her other interests were bicycling, hiking, kayaking, and reading. Merry was a dedicated Pittsburgh Steeler and Arizona Diamondbacks fan.
In Lakeside, she was a member of the Lakeside Community Chapel, Lakeside-Somers Community Club, the Book Club, Community Chapel Bible Study Group and the Red Hat Society.
She is survived by her husband, Jack; sons, Christopher, a U.S. Navy corpsman of Great Lakes, Illinios, and Michael, a pharmacy doctoral candidate of Glendale, Arizona; brother, Robert and Annette Heinemeyer of Phoenix, Arizona; sister-in-law, Judy Griffith Neilson of Mesa, Arizona; several nephews and a niece.
Merry was preceded in death by her parents, Harry and Geraldine Heinemeyer. Merry will receive full military honors at 11 a.m. on Tuesday July 7 at the Western Montana State Veterans cemetery in Missoula. A celebration of life and reception will be held 11 a.m. the following day, Wednesday, July 8, at the Lakeside Community Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to the Lakeside QRU, Northwest Montana Veteran’s Food pantry, or the Kalispell Regional Healthcare Foundation Hospice Program.
The family extends its sincere appreciation to the Lakeside Clinic, Lakeside QRU, the various Kalispell Regional healthcare organizations, and the many friends that provided first class, compassionate care and support to Merry during her journey with cancer.
Friends are encouraged to visit the website, www.buffalohillfh.com, to leave notes of support for the family.
Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for the family.