William Lunsford (Bill) Griggs

Funeral service is 10 a.m. Monday, October 19th at the Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home Chapel with Monte Tuttle officiating. Interment will follow service in Oaklawn Cemetery. Family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, October 18th at the funeral home.

Bill was born in Decatur, Texas on April 30, 1919 to Dan and Myrtle (Workman) Griggs. He was the youngest of four children. He attended Decatur High School from 1935-1939 where he was an outstanding athlete in football and track. He was a three-year captain of the Decatur Eagle football team. He continued his athletic pursuits in football at Decatur Baptist College and upon completion entered World War II. He served his country for four years in Company E, 176th Engineers where he received the rank of Master Sergeant along with numerous medals and commendations.

Bill returned to Decatur after the war and married Lavada Lee Gage, a Decatur school teacher from the Sycamore community. They had one child, Melinda, who was "his daddy's girl". They enjoyed many years of family sporting activities. Bill was always an active member of booster clubs and service organizations. He served as President of the Nimitz High School Booster Club, the Irving Girls Softball Association and was instrumental in building the Southwest Park Girls softball fields in Irving, Texas, where he and his family lived for more than 30 years.

Bill worked in the oil and gas industry for his entire career. He worked for Shell Oil Company for 10 years before retiring from Texaco after another 37 years of service as the plant manager of the Dallas plant. Upon retirement he returned to his home of Decatur and was a long time member of the Planning and Zoning Commission, the Decatur Athletic Booster and Central Fellowship Church. Bill always had a smile on his face, a firm handshake and a positive word of encouragement for everyone he met. He enjoyed hunting, working on his farm, raising cattle, traveling with his wife, visiting with friends, Eagle sports and his two grandsons.

Left behind to cherish his memory are his wife of 63 years, Lavada Griggs; daughter, Melinda Kaye Reeves and husband Jack of Decatur; grandsons, Josh William and Jase Ryan Reeves; sister-in-law, Roberta Buchanan of Decatur; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.

Bill is preceded in death by a sister, Lavane Griggs; two brothers, C.W. "Dud" and Jim Griggs.

Family request memorials be made to Decatur High School Athletic Booster Club, P.O. Box 164, Decatur, Texas 76234.

Coker-Hawkins Funeral Home 940/627-5959

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Melinda, We were sorry to hear of your loss this morning at Sunday School. We know your Dad has had health issues the past few years, but always rallied back to be out and about and watching Jase play. He leaves a beautiful legacy of care for both you and Jack and what we witnessed helping raise Jase to be the young man he has become. Praying for your family as you go through this time, Robert, Rose, Rebecca and Christian Roose

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