Arnold Griffin


Arnold Griffin

Arnold Asa Griffin was born on November 21, 1930 in Alpine.  He went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on January 7, 2018 in San Antonio.

He was raised in San Diego, Texas and graduated from San Diego High School in 1948.  He then attended and graduated from the University of Corpus Christi in 1952 and ultimately received his Master’s Degree in Education and Administration in 1968 from Southwest Texas State College.  After spending the summer of 1952 as a Missionary to Cuba he returned to marry the love of his life MaryAnn Lyons on August 23, 1952.

Arnold was preceded in death by his parents Asa Archie Griffin and Ellen Arnold Griffin, Asa and Ellen’s four children  that did not survive birth, their son-in law Mark Kreidel, and great grandchild Nelson baby #3 who did not survive.

Arnold’s survivors include his wife MaryAnn Lyons Griffin, San Antonio; son Alan Griffin and wife Barbara, Tomball; daughter Lydia Griffin Kreidel, San Antonio; grandchildren: Alissa Griffin McWilliams and husband Brian, Tomball; Ashley Griffin Nelson and husband Mitch, Tomball; Shanna Marie Kreidel Foreman and husband Bryan, San Antonio; Shane Arnold Kreidel and wife Mary, Cambridge, MA.; great-grandchildren: Griffin James, Annalise Eden and Asa Phillip McWilliams; Ellen Kay and Kate Carole Nelson; Ethan Rhea Foreman; sister Nancy Griffin Sellers and husband Ray (Sonny) Sellers, San Antonio, and their children and grandchildren.  Honorary grandchildren Tomi Jenei and Reka Jenei, foreign exchange student siblings, who lived with Alan and Barbara, who truly became like children and grandchildren to the family.

After he and MaryAnn married they lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area where he attended the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.  They moved to Pleasanton in 1961 where he began his life’s career in education and was associated with the McMullen County ISD and the Pleasanton ISD until 1972 when they moved to their current home in San Antonio.  While in Pleasanton, besides this education career, for a short time, he served as the Spanish DJ at the local radio station, KBOP, where Dr. Parker hired him because he thought Arnold spoke the best Spanish in town.  At Pleasanton Independent School District Arnold was a classroom teacher, drivers education teacher, coach and elementary school principal.  In San Antonio, he was associated with the Judson ISD as an elementary school principal until his retirement.

In retirement Arnold spent all his time with his family and grandchildren and going to his ranch in McMullen County, known as Milagroso, and Alan’s ranch in Dimmit County, which Arnold named Los Sueños.

The family will carry out Arnold’s wishes of a private family burial at Los Sueños.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations, in memory of Arnold, be made to Alzheimer’s Association San Antonio & South Texas Chapter, MAC-37 Building, 10223 McAllister Freeway, Suite 100, San Antonio, TX 78216, Phone: 210-822-6449.

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