Elizabeth Ruth (Dillard) Griffin

Elizabeth Ruth (Dillard) Griffin, age 87, of Coleman, died Wednesday, April 4, 2018, in her home at Atria of Richardson Texas.  Funeral service will be held 2:00 p.m. Monday, April 9, at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 1000 Clow Street, Coleman, Texas, with Rev. Dick Shultz officiating.  Interment will follow in the Burkett Cemetery off highway 206 under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home, Coleman.

She was born on November 8, 1930 in Monnet, Arkansas, a daughter of Erskine Donald Dillard and Vivian Dean Dillard. Although she was named Elizabeth, she was known as Betty.   She grew up and graduated from high school in Gladewater, Texas.  Soon after, she attended a one year school program in St. Louis and entered the working world as a lab/x-ray technician.  On July 10, 1955, she married Steve M Griffin in Gladewater.  The couple resided in Fritch, Texas.   Betty went back to school and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Education from WTSU in Canyon and became a teacher. In 1984, she and Steve moved to their ranch in Coleman County, where she lived until moving to Richardson a year ago.  Steve and Betty celebrated 61 years of marriage, until his death on February 6, 2017. Betty was an active member for many years of the Good Neighbor Extension Club in Coleman and the Red Hats Coleman Chapter, as well as serving as the song leader every Friday for the residents at Holiday Hill Nursing Home.  She loved and enjoyed her church family at Emmanuel Baptist Church.  She will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by friends, family and her community.

Survivors include her children, Michael Stephen Griffin and wife Diane of San Antonio and Nancy Lou Kaszynski and husband David of Garland; brother, John Dillard and wife Martha of New Castle, Virginia; sister, Gladys Dillard of Abilene; brother, Thomas Bray of Gurdon, Arkansas.; Sister-in-law Lenora Preston and husband Robert of McLean, Texas; grandchildren, Kelly, Kyle and Cody Kaszynski, numerous nieces and nephews and life-long friends.

There will be a visitation for family and friends on Sunday, April 8, from 4:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. at Stevens Funeral Home, 400 W. Pecan Street, Coleman, Texas 76834.

Memorials may be made to the donor’s favorite organization.

Please leave online condolences for the family at www.livingmemorials.com.