Obituary of Dorothy G. Griffin

Dorothy G. Griffin, age 100, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, March 24th, 2015 at home. Dorothy was born on July 19, 1914 to the late James E. and Edith M. (Jenny) Griffin. She attended the Academy of Holy names and graduated from Rome Free Academy in 1930. She attended the New York State College for Teachers at SUNY Albany, graduating in 1934 with a double major in English and French. In the fall of 1934, she began teaching English and French at Draper High School in Schenectady, NY. At the request of her father, she left teaching in June of 1941 to return to Rome, to begin working at Varflex Corporation. Varflex had been founded on May 24th, 1924 by her father and her uncle, Charles A. Jenny. On August 16th, 1941, Dorothy married attorney James T. Griffin, a founding partner in the law firm of O'Shea, Griffin, McDonald, Hurd and Stevens. While working at Varflex, she began as a bookkeeper, eventually working her way into the sales department and serving as the company's president for the last 33 years. Dorothy was also very active in the community, serving on numerous boards of directors including The YMCA, The WCC and Oneida National Bank. She was an active member of the Fish Creek Club, The Rome Club, and Teugega Country Club. She was a champion of higher education and supported many schools and universities including Rome Catholic High, Berea College and the University of Notre Dame to name a few. Dorothy is survived by her brother, William L. Griffin; a sister in law Shirley W. Griffin; and a long list of nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her husband of 35 years, James T. Griffin; and her brothers Jerry and Robert Griffin. . The family would like to thank her care givers of the last four years, Robyn Eddy, Karen Mortis, Laura Whitman and Kathy Snow. They would also like to thank her housekeeper, Eunice O'Brien, and her groundskeeper, Phil Creswell, for their many years of service as well as her niece, Margaret Fielding, for the care she provided. The family would also like to thank the many current and former employees who helped to make Varflex a success for the Griffin family, with a special thanks to Chuck Schoff and Dan Burgdorf. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Monday at 10:30 AM at St. Paul's Church, with the Rev. Robert Kelly officiating. Burial will be in St. Mary's Cemetery. Relatives and friends may call at the Barry Funeral Home, 807 W. Chestnut Street, on Sunday from 2 to 5 PM. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested donations be made to St. Paul's Church or a charity of their choosing located in Rome. Please offer online condolences or light a candle at: www.BarryFuneralHome.com.