Jeffrey Jerome Griffiths

Some knew him as Jeff, some knew him as Jerry, but no matter what you called him, we bet you loved him. Jeff Griffiths never met a stranger. He was, by consensus of those who knew him, one of the sweetest, kindest, most honest and genuine human souls you could meet in this life. He passed on Sunday, August 13 at his residence in Asbury Methodist Village quickly and painlessly after having been in the late stages of Alzheimer's for several years. He was predeceased by his wife, Patricia Ann Griffiths, 19 years ago this month. He is survived by his children, Sarah and Matt; his grandchildren Meara, Quinn, Riley, Reese, and Owen; his son-in law, Jason, and daughter-in-law, Lynn; his brother, Bill, sister, Jean, and sister-in-law Janet; and so many loving friends and family members.

He lived a long and adventurous life; born in Washington, D.C. on June 22, 1938, he grew up in Silver Spring, Maryland and loved to tell stories of the old Silver Spring – riding his bike to the Five and Dime, jumping the freight trains in Takoma Park, and walking himself home from St. Michael's Catholic School as a kindergartner when he just missed his Mom at recess one day. When he was thirteen he joined the Holy Trinity Seminary in Alabama to start the path to priesthood. He was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1965. He earned his Masters Degrees in Philosophy and Theology at the University of San Francisco in the late sixties, and often spoke fondly of walking Haight Ashbury and marveling at all the people of the counterculture movement. He had many sympathies with the philosophies taking shape there and then - social justice, women’s equality, racial equality - and even though he was a priest studying at the University, he loved to just sit and have conversations with any people who were interested in talking. That is a theme of his life, just how much he enjoyed talking with and listening to people. Jeff Griffiths was an excellent listener.

In 1971, he ended up leaving the priesthood. He quickly made a close group of friends of other ex-Priests and Nuns, including Clem and Loretta McClintock, two lifelong friends that introduced Jeff to his future wife, Patti, and became godparents to his children Sarah and Matt. He married Patti Quigley in 1974, then they had a daughter, Sarah, born in 1977; and son, Matt, born in 1980. He loved being a father. He started a home improvement business, House Doctor, Inc., and worked long hours as a small business owner but had never missed his special bedtime routine with Sarah and Matt throughout their childhood. “Half a Minute” was the negotiated timeframe for backrubs, hair squeezies, and fun stories of Jeff’s childhood dog Spot who had many adventures - but this invariably always lasted much much longer than that. He also never missed a sports game for either of his kids and there are many shaky VHS/camcorder tapes from the nineties to prove it.

In the early nineties, Jeff sold his House Doctor business and began working for the Montgomery County Government in their Conservation Corps. What he loved most there was his role as a counselor and guide for kids who had dropped out of high school and were in the program to learn job skills and get a GED. He always had a servant's heart and helping guide young people was one of his great joys.

After Patti died unexpectedly in 2004, Jeff retired from Montgomery County Government and enjoyed spending time with his kids and first grandchild. In 2005 he met Stephanie Bowers who became his partner and second love. Dad and Stephanie had many great years together traveling the world, volunteering for political and social causes, and spending time with their families together until Stephanie sadly passed away 2010.

In 2011, he sold the house he bought in 1974 with Patti in Poolesville, Maryland where they raised Sarah and Matt. He moved to Asbury Methodist Village in Gaithersburg, Maryland and constantly marveled at the beauty of the grounds there where he loved to take walks. True to form, within months of his move he had made many friends who he would meet for meals. He also got to know the names and background stories of much of the staff at Russell Cafe where he liked to go get coffee in the mornings.

In early 2020, right as the pandemic really took hold, he was moved to the Memory Care unit of Wilson Health Care at Asbury. Although the disease had really accelerated by that point, Jeff maintained his gentle spirit and sense of humor throughout. When his kids, grandkids, brother, or anybody visited, even though he didn’t really know who they were, he always told them how good it was to see them, and thanked them for coming. He especially found so much joy in his grandchildren. To his last he was content and grateful for his life and told Sarah that he was “in a good place” when she visited him in March of this year.

If you would like to help us celebrate Jeff’s wonderful life, please join us on Sunday, August 20th at Thibadeau Mortuary Chapel, 124 E Diamond Ave, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. The family will be receiving visitors from 1-2:30 pm and then will have a Celebration of Life service from 2:30-3:15.

Arrangements entrusted to Thibadeau Mortuary Service, p.a., 124 E Diamond Ave, Gaithersburg, MD 20877, 301-495-4950, www.interfaithfunerals.com.