Ethel Catherine Griffin

Ethel Warlick Griffin, age 89, of Old Fort, North Carolina passed away early Wednesday morning following a long and courageous battle with Alzheimer’s. August 23, 2017 at the Rose Hill Retirement Home in Marion. She was born in Cleveland County on April 1, 1928 to the late Guy and Minnie Proctor Warlick. Ethel was preceded in death by her loving husband Kenneth D. Griffin. 

Ethel graduated from the School of Nursing at Shelby Hospital in September, 1952. She and Kenneth D. Griffin were married on October 4, 1952. Ethel worked as a registered nurse at Broughton Hospital in Morganton. In 1966, the Old Fort Medical Clinic was opened by Dr. George G. Ellis with Ethel as his head nurse. She retired from the clinic after 25 years of service. Ethel was a member of the Old Fort Chapter of the Eastern Star, serving as Worthy Matron. She was active in the McDowell Home Extension Club, worked as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, and assisted with the American Red Cross Blood Drives. She was an active member of the First Baptist Church of Old Fort until her move into the Retirement Home.

Along with her parents and husband, Ethel was preceded in death by six brothers, Brady Warlick, Hazel Warlick (Edith), John Warlick (Janie), Fred Warlick (Betty), Lawrence Warlick (Thesis), Floyd Warlick, a sister, Mary Lou Maynor (Bud), and one brother-in-law, Bill Hord.

Mrs. Griffin is survived by her four children, daughter Cathy Smith (Dwight) of Winston-Salem, NC, and sons Ken Griffin (Krystal) of Lexington, TN, Andrew Griffin, (Sherry Long) of Hickory, NC, and Glenn Griffin (Angela) of Wilson, NC; two sisters, Vertie Redmond (Everette) and Genette Hord of Shelby, NC; a brother Buren Warlick (Jo Anne) of Shelby, NC, a sister-in-law, Mary Warlick of Casar, NC; eight grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.

A funeral service for Mrs. Griffin will be held on Saturday, August 26, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Old Fort with the Reverend Drew Dalton and Dr. George Ellis officiating. The family will receive friends from 1:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will follow the service at McDowell Memorial Park. Those wishing to make memorial donations should consider Old Fort First Baptist Church at 203 East Main St. Old Fort NC 28762 or Hospice of Rutherfordton at 374 Hudlow Rd., Forest City, NC 28043.