Carol E. Griffey, son of Bert and Inza (Huffman) Griffey, was born July 22, 1933, and passed away at his home in Norton, Kansas February 17, 2018 at the age of 84.
Carol was born and grew up on a farm located on Bow Creek in rural Graham County, Kansas south of Edmond. When he was two years old his left pinky and ring fingers were accidently cut off with an axe by his four year old brother, Burton. Even with this handicap, he was a talented athlete and participated in baseball and basketball. As a young boy, he attended country school and later graduated from Edmond High School.
After graduation, he helped his father on the family farm for nearly two years until he was drafted into the United States Army in February of 1953. He did his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and was stationed in Pusan, Korea during and after the Korean War until December of 1954. He was in the Army Reserve until February of 1961 when he received his honorable discharge.
Just days before leaving home for Korea he met a pretty young lady named Korla Haynes who was waitressing at the local café in Lenora. He asked her out on a date, but her parents did not approve. Luckily the owner of the café offered to cover for her so she was able to go on the date anyway. After that date they wrote each other nearly every day he was overseas. After coming home in December of 1954, they started dating again and on September 4, 1955 Carol and Korla Griffey were married in the Congregational Church of Lenora.
Carol worked as an auto mechanic at McCarty’s Garage in Lenora for a number of years. He was a natural at fixing just about anything and was an excellent mechanic. In November of 1968, the family moved from Lenora to a farm about 10 miles south of Lenora where Carol returned to his roots of farming by crop sharing and later starting an automated dairy. Carol was a very hard worker and rarely took a day off from his farming duties. He was a caring man who would do anything for his family or friends. In May of 1983 the farm was sold and the family moved to Norton. Carol worked for the city of Norton as a Power Plant Operator for 15 years until he retired.
Carol’s interests included taking Korla ballroom and square dancing nearly every weekend in their younger years, entertaining friends until wee hours in the morning playing card games, watching his children play sports, spending time with his grandchildren, fishing, and golf. Carol was a member of the United Methodist Church in Norton.
Carol found golf late in life, but he fell in love with the game. He played every chance he could get even in the winter. If there wasn’t snow on the ground and it was above 40 degrees he was playing. Anyone that played golf at Norton’s course knew about Carol and his willingness to play in any weather condition. One day it was so windy he was literally blown over while putting. He just got up and finished the round. Korla tells the following story that someone shared with her: One day a group of guys were playing golf and it was a cold, drizzly, windy day. One of them said to the others, “Why are we out here? Carol Griffey isn’t even playing today.” Not long after that, Carol showed up and started playing, helping them to feel better about their decision to play that day. He just loved being outdoors and hitting that little round ball. Carol’s life ended doing what he loved, as he had just finished playing golf when he passed away at home in the loving care of his wife.
He was preceded in death by his parents Bert and Inza Griffey; four siblings: Orpha Lane, Burton Griffey, Corene Day, and Raymond Griffey; and his father and mother-in-law, Clarence and Oda Haynes.
Surviving family members include his loving wife Korla Griffey of Norton; four sons: Mike Griffey of Arkansas City, Mitch Griffey of Sugarland, Texas, Marty Griffey and wife Jacque of Olathe, and Mark Griffey and wife Amy of Norton; seven grandchildren: Aphton Griffey of Thornton, Colorado, Brandi Burge of Tampa, Florida, Tawni and Connor Griffey of Olathe, Morgan and Lance Griffey of Norton, and Garrett Griffey of Arkansas City; one great grandchild, Greighlyn Byers of Thornton; brother-in-law, Gary Haynes of Hill City; and sister-in-law, Clarene Wanker and husband Bob of Hill City; and numerous nieces and nephews.
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