Marilyn Ann Griffith

Marilyn Griffith, a loving mother and grandmother and dear friend to many, peacefully passed away on October 2, 2020 at the age of 88. She was known by all to be one of the most extraordinarily loving, warm and kind-hearted people you’d ever meet.

Marilyn was born June 12, 1932 in Omaha, NE to Martha and Earl Raupe.  She grew up in Omaha and attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha, graduating in 1954 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education.

In 1955, she married Martin James (Jim) Klein who was stationed in the US Air Force at Ruislip, Middlesex, England where they began their lives together.  They soon moved back to Omaha, NE and then to Livonia, MI where Marilyn would spend most of her life and raise their children.

Marilyn’s husband, Jim, was an executive at Ford Motor Co. Through Ford, they met and became lifelong friends with the Cooks and the Hewitts.  Weekly backyard barbecues and spending holidays together became the norm until Jim passed away in 1974.

To support her family, at age 41 Marilyn went to the University of Michigan to receive her Master’s in Early Childhood Development with a certificate in Special Education.  She spent 22 years as a teacher at Livonia Public Schools.

In the early 1980’s, Marilyn and a group of college friends began taking annual trips…and they continued these trips for about 30 years. During one of these early adventures, Marilyn fell in love with Dean Griffith and they were married in 1984 and moved to CT and then TX.  In 1986 Dean passed away, Marilyn moved back to her family and friends in Livonia, and returned to teaching Kindergarten.

She had a passion for teaching and was awarded Teacher of the Year in 1992/1993.  Two grandsons came along shortly after and became the center of her universe.  If there were an award for Grandma of the Year, she’d have won every year.  She would fly out to CT for the first day of the boy’s school each year.  Their interests became her interests.  She spent countless hours on her knees playing floor hockey in the living room.  When they got older, she’d play street hockey on the driveway and she spent countless cold mornings and afternoons in hockey rinks watching their games.  She’d call several times during the week wanting to hear everything going on in their lives.

Her passion for international travel began in her 60’s and in 1999 found herself on a ship for 100 days during a Semester at Sea with college students from the University of Pittsburgh.  By the end of the trip, she adopted two new “granddaughters” and traveled with them for several years.

In 2017, the original Ford executive families were down to the final two living spouses.  Always up for an adventure, at age 85 Marilyn went on a three-month RV trip with Gale Cook and his family traveling from Michigan to Alaska.  By the end of that trip, Gale and Marilyn had grown quite fond of spending time together and over the next few years they often visited with each other in the Irish Hills or Florida.

Marilyn was a loyal friend to so many and will be greatly missed by her children Janet and William Klein, her grandsons Peter Klein (wife Mariah) and Karl Klein, stepdaughter Julie Griffith and many dear friends:  Laurie Klein, Bev Hogue (her lifelong friend of 60+ years), Lisa and Laura (Cook) Thompson, Jan and Cindy Hewitt, Marilyn Raupe, Doug Paulsen, her Friday Night Pizza Group of 40+ years, the Lunch Bunch and so many others.  Marilyn was predeceased by her brother William Earl Raupe.  A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.  Donations in her memory can be made to Angela Hospice and those who wish to share condolences can visit www.casterlinefuneralhome.com