07/31/2026
I had the incredible privilege of sitting down with Mr. Griffin, who is celebrating 102 years of life!
Listening to his stories felt like stepping into a living history book. Born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, Mr. Griffin's earliest memory was at just four or five years old, when he was showing off while playing with his cousin, fell from a banister, and got spanked by his father. Not long after, tragedy struck. His father passed away from pneumonia when Mr. Griffin was only six years old, leaving him with his mother to raise the family during the Great Depression. He described those years as difficult, but they shaped the strong man he would become. Some of his happiest childhood memories were spent on his grandmother's farm, where hard work was expected. "If you didn't do your job, you didn't stay," he recalled. It was there that his grandmother gave him a hound dog puppy, a gift he treasured for years. Like many children of his generation, he also loved playing baseball with neighborhood kids using nothing more than a bat and a ball.
In May 1944, Mr. Griffin graduated from the Merchant Marine Academy and soon began serving during World War II. He worked with top secret radar technology and spent six years at sea aboard the U.S. Army Transport **J. W. McAndrew**. His service took him across the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and throughout the Pacific, including the liberation of the Philippines and preparations for the invasion of Okinawa. Like so many of the Greatest Generation, he answered the call to serve with courage and humility. Mr. Griffin found the love of his life on a blind date. He and his wife, Jackie, built a marriage rooted in love, patience, and partnership. When I asked what made their marriage so successful, he smiled and said, "She was very patient. When I asked what it feels like to be 102 years old, he quietly replied, "I'm not sure. I'm grateful that the good Lord has kept me around this long. I don't know exactly why, but I'm still here."
I asked if he ever imagined living this long. "Oh heck no," he laughed. "I didn't even imagine I'd make it home when I was serving in the war." Like everyone else, I had to ask the question: "What's the secret to a long life?" Without missing a beat, he smiled and said, "Everyone asks me that. If I knew the answer, I'd bottle it up and sell it."
Before we finished, I asked him what advice he would give the younger generation. "Patience" He believes people rush through life too quickly. Sometimes, he said, if you're patient, things have a way of working themselves out, and you'll be happier.
My final question was this: "If your great-grandchildren were reading this years from now, what would you want them to know?" He smiled and answered: "Whether it's my grandchildren, great-grandchildren, or great-great-grandchildren, I'd tell them to live life as it comes and be happy." After spending time with Mr. Griffin, I realized that while he has lived through more than a century of history, his greatest lessons are timeless: love deeply, serve faithfully, appreciate the little things, trust God's timing, be patient, and... be happy.
Happy 102nd Birthday, Mr. Griffin. ❤️ What an honor it was to hear your story.