Joseph “Joe” A. Griffin, 82, of Sparta, died Saturday, February 29, 2020, at Mayo Clinic Health System, La Crosse. He was born April 2, 1937 to William and Adelight (Thill) Griffin in Sparta.
Joe graduated from Melrose High School with the class of 1955. Following high school he worked on the family farm for a short time. Joe then served in the US Army from September of 1956 until his honorable discharge in September of 1959.
Joe married the former Carole Chalmers on May 12, 1962, at Our Saviors Lutheran Church in Beloit. He worked for Ingersoll Rand and Job Corp. in Rockford, IL for a number of years. Joe and Carole then purchased a farm in Little Falls where they farmed for over 11 years. He then worked for Sparta Manufacturing for 25 years until his retirement in 2002.
Joe enjoyed woodworking, carpentry, MASH, John Wayne movies, and football, particularly the Green Bay Packers. His two favorite teams were the Packers and whoever plays the Minnesota Vikings.
Joe is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Carole; his three daughters, Patricia Jo Griffin; Pamela Joy (Greg) Peterson; and Paula Jean (Tim) Erickson; his grandchildren, Alexandra, Connor, and Samantha Erickson; and JoAnne Peterson. He is further survived by his great-grandsons, Hayden and Nate Denton; a sister, Helen Pfaff; and numerous sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, William and Adelight; brothers, William, James, Ernest, Leo, Oscar, Raymond Jr. “Buckshot” and an infant sister.
A Funeral Service will be held at 12 Noon on Wednesday, March 4, at the Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home, Sparta, with Reverend Randy Williamson officiating. Interment will follow in Cataract Cemetery, Cataract.
Visitation for Joe will be Wednesday at the funeral home from 10 a.m. until the time of services. Online condolences may be offered to the Griffin family at www.schanhoferfh.com
The family wishes to extend a heartfelt thank you to the ICU staff at Mayo in La Crosse, and to Chaplin Denise for the care and compassion shown to them.
The Lanham-Schanhofer Funeral Home, Sparta, is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.
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