Rosemary Griffis
Rose Griffis Obituary - Abilene, KS | Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home (martinbeckercarlson.com)
May 27th, 1928 - April 28th, 2022
Rosemary Griffis was born on May 27, 1928 at home west of Navarre, KS, the daughter of Harry and Maudie (Longhofer) Leckron. She grew up on the farm, her grade schools included Stony Hill #6, Eureka #89 school in Jefferson and Newbern townships just a few miles from her homes, and graduated from DCCHS in 1946. Rosemary worked briefly for Montgomery Wards and Southwestern Bell in Abilene.
On November 9, 1946, she was united in marriage to Kenneth A. Griffis. They lived in Pasadena, California for a short time after WW II where she worked for Singer Sewing Machine Company.
Upon returning to Kansas in 1950, in the Belle Springs area where they made their home until 1967, when they moved to 1400 Ave. and this became their permanent home. She and Kenny farmed and he assisted her father with the thrashing until he retired and moved to Abilene. She was devoted to Kenny. She started working at the Navarre Co-op soon after returning from California. She retired after 35 years of service. She and Kenny enjoyed fishing at Milford Lake and their farm pond, and enjoyed many wonderful weekends during the spring and summer for 68 wonderful years together.
Rosemary was a homemaker, an office professional, loved to garden, always planting tomatoes and cucumbers, and caring for her flowers, a fisherman, loved making crafts, she had a love of collecting dolls and plates with roses on them. She was a mother and grandmother figure to the children in the community always having a stash of Tootsie Rolls and bubblegum at the Co-op. She always kept her stash stocked, as many of the children just helped themselves when they came with mom or dad. She and Kenny traveled to Texas to their winter home and Oregon after her retirement. Together they loved traveling throughout the U.S. on land, by railway, on water, by barge and ship in their coach.
Survivors include her sister-in-law Constance Griffis, Coquille OR, nieces and nephews Mike (Kristeen) McCollough, Lakeside CA, Melynne (McCollough) Fisher, Sherwood, AR, Jim (Linda) Griffis, Corvallis, OR, Jacque (Tom) Keeling, Eugene, OR, Nancy (Brian) Maxwell, Corvallis, OR, Sharon (Mitchell) Fick, Topeka, KS, and other nieces, nephews, and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Kenny, a sister and brother-in-law, Bonnie “Boots” (Wes) McCollough, brother-in-law Joseph Griffis, sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Audrey (William) Yorgenson, and nephew, Howard Fisher
A celebration gathering for Rosemary and Kenny will be at Garten Countryside Chapel, 2454 Hwy 15, Abilene, KS at 2:00 p.m. on May 27, 2022. Graveside service is at Abilene Cemetery following.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Rosemary Griffis Memorial. This will be determined at a later date for plantings in a garden or in a park. These may be sent, or dropped off at Danner Funeral Home, 501 N. Buckeye, Abilene, KS 67410.