Freddie Lee “Cotton” Griffith, 91, of Quitman, passed away at home on Friday, June 26, 2009. Born on February 24, 1918, in Godley, Texas, he was the son of Walter Lee and Ida Vinther Griffith. As a child, his parents traded their telephone exchange business in Godley for a farm in Mereta, Texas, where Freddie attended school and grew up with friends who all went by nicknames.
Freddie enlisted in the Army Air Corps, 1942-1945, and trained in Texas and Michigan as an aircraft mechanic for the B-24 Consolidated Liberator and B-17E Flying Fortress before shipping out to Europe on The Queen Mary, transferring to the Empress of Russia and sailing back to Iceland where he served his country during WWII as Fire Chief at Reykjavik and Meeks Field.
On October 22, 1947, Freddie married Mary Frances Lieber in San Angelo, Texas. Few are left who remember that as Dr. B. O. Wood pronounced them man and wife, the whistle at the train station blew. After the wedding, Freddie and Mary Frances moved to Arkansas and the Pearson community where they bought a cattle farm, began their life together and raised a family. Although they were not pioneer families of the community, Freddie will be remembered for bringing the first tractor into Cleburne County, towing it 650 miles behind his 1940 Ford pickup from San Angelo, hitting a top speed of 25 mph, and along with his brother Walter, baling hay on their connecting farms and for friends and neighbors with the first square baler.
Mr. Griffith was preceded in death by his parents, sister Dora Roberts of Mereta, Texas, brother Walter W. Griffith of Heber Springs, granddaughter-in-law Wendy Fox Griffith of Sherwood, and Mary Frances, his loving wife of 55 years who died Christmas morning 2002.
Crippled by polio as a child and having lived with arthritis throughout his adult life, Freddie is survived by his children, Gary Ford Griffith (Linda) and Susan Griffith of the Pearson community who gave constant, daily, comfort and care to their dad after the loss of their mother.
Freddie is also survived by his grandson, Carl Lee Griffith of Sherwood and great-grandson Weston Ford Griffith, also of Sherwood. Among the many nieces and nephews who will miss “Uncle Freddie” are Lee Griffith (Barbara) of Russellville, Charlie Roberts (Nancy) of Mereta, Texas, and Luann Wirges (John) of Sherwood.
Funeral services were held June 28 in the Olmstead Funeral Home Chapel at with Rev. Bennie Foster officiating. Interment followed in the Pearson Cemetery.
As a final act of loving care for their dad, Gary and Susan served as pallbearers with Carl Griffith, Weston Griffith, Lee Griffith, Charlie Roberts, and John Wirges. Honorary pallbearers were Billie Joe Swaffar, Hershell McGibney and Joe Tom O’Guinn.
Quitman, Ark. —
