Griffin Causey - 99 Years Old - REST IN PEACE

This Obituary was written by daughter Linda A. Causey
Buried from St. John's Today, 13 February 2006

Griffin Causey was born on November 16, 1906 in Birmingham, Alabama. He was the second of two children born to Eugene and Roberta Causey. His family moved to Macon, Georgia when he was five. While in Macon, he accepted Christ at an early age.

In 1923, his family moved to Detroit, Michigan when he was sixteen years old, at which time he began to support himself totally. Griffin was united in marriage to Marguerite Davis on August 6, 1927. From their union four children were born: Blanche, Griffin, Jr., Douglas, and Linda.

Griffin worked as a lather when he first came to Detroit, but later secured full-time employment as a clerk with the U.S. Postal Service. Both he and his wife, Marguerite, placed a high value on education. In order to support his family and offer each of his children a college education, Griffin also worked part-time preparing income taxes, selling real estate, and doing small business bookkeeping. When he retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 1969, he held the position of General Manager of the West Side Post Offices.

After retiring, Griffin volunteered at Crossroads as a counselor for twenty years and as an arbitrator for the Better Business Bureau. He played bridge with three friends for years and following retirement also joined a Seniors Bridge Group. Additionally, he bowled on Wednesdays with a Seniors Bowling League at the Garden Bowl up through Spring, 2005.

His favorite activities however, were working in the church and his yard. When Griffin first come to Detroit, he had joined St. John’s CME Church. He moved his family in 1936, to St. Cyprian’s Episcopal Church on the west side, where he worked in both the Usher Guild and the Men’s Club for many years, and served on the vestry several times. Because his wife had passed and both his daughters were members of St. John’s Episcopal Church of Detroit, Griffin also decided to join St. John’s. He enjoyed the church family of St. John’s which had so lovingly embraced him.

Griffin was alert, kept abreast of current events, drove himself to church weekly, and led an active life up until being in an automobile accident on October 24, 2005. Following the accident, his health sharply declined. He was hospitalized at Detroit Receiving Hospital for ten days beginning on December 13, 2004. He was subsequently hospitalized twice more for brief stays. He fought a courageous battle to regain his health, but passed away at Detroit Receiving Hospital on February 2, 2006 on the evening of his third readmission.

He is survived by his two daughters, Blanche C. Wisdom and Linda A. Causey, his youngest son Douglas R. Causey, his daughter-in-law Alma Causey, two granddaughters, Knena Causey and Sybil Causey, a great grandson, Andrew Skelton, and hosts of nieces and nephews.