Daniel E. Griffin, Iii

Daniel E. Griffin, III of Hanover, Massachusetts, died April 13, 2020 at the age of 76.

Dan was a lifelong learner with a passion for history, literature, poetry and music.  He particularly enjoyed studying his Irish heritage. Dan grew up on Hobart Street in Quincy, where he was the adored child of Daniel and Dorothy Griffin.  He graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in the North End and later attended Boston University and Boston State College, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. Dan was an avid baseball afficionado as well as a fan, player, and coach; he even spent time in the minor leagues as a pitcher. His love for history and English led him to a career in teaching, and he spent many years sharing his knowledge with the students of South Weymouth Jr. High School. He later ran a family printing business with his wife, Regina, and in retirement wrote a WWII spy novel, titled Voodoo Dancer. Dan will be remembered for his great sense of humor and wit; he was a natural storyteller and was happiest when surrounded by friends and family.

Dan loved the Red Sox, boating and the ocean.  He was a dedicated reader of James Thurber, Dorothy Parker, O. Henry and Ogden Nash.  He often quoted Mark Twain and Oscar Wilde.  He enjoyed a good joke or pun, from the sublime to the ridiculous. He loved children and animals, sharing his home with many beloved dogs throughout the years, including Big Ben the Bulldog, the Dachshunds Hugo, Rudy, and Bailey, and especially his childhood dog, a Boxer named Drummond.  Dan was a talented singer, regularly performing before large crowds when he was just a teenager.  His lovely deep voice also made him an ideal radio personality, and he dabbled in radio for years, including as a recurring character on the Loren and Wally show, Uncle Fun.  Dan was a strong, powerful and resilient man who survived cancer and loved his family more than anything.

Dan adored his wife Regina M. (Brennan) Griffin who passed away in 2018. As he always said, “Gina made it all happen.”  Their love for each other will forever endure.  He was the loving father of Christine M. Griffin and her husband Stevan A. Brasel of Dover, Susan P. Griffin of Rockland, and Daniel E. Griffin, IV and his wife Eleanore K. of Cambridge. Proud “Grandad” of Vivian M. Brasel, Daniel E. Griffin, V, and Johanna Griffin.  He was the beloved uncle, nephew and cousin to many others as well.

Dan’s children will be having a private graveside service at Stetson Meadows Cemetery in Norwell on Friday, April 17, 2020, which would have been Dan and Regina’s 49^th wedding anniversary. Following the service, they welcome friends and extended family to process past Dan’s grave as the bagpipes play.  For the health and safety of all, please kindly stay in your cars while at the cemetery.  Friends and family are invited to queue up in their cars for the procession at 3PM; the procession will begin shortly after 3.

Donations in memory of Dan may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Flowers may be sent to the funeral home for the graveside service.

Normally, the funeral is an opportunity for the community to gather in support of one another. Because of the COVID-19 precautions that are in place, we will not be able to do the normal ceremonies.  Please know how much Dan treasured each of the wonderful people he was blessed to know during his lifetime. Although we cannot gather together with Daniel’s family at this time, friends may still offer their support by sharing a special memory or message by clicking the link above.

“Some things are more precious because they don’t last long.” – Oscar Wilde.  The world definitely lost something very precious this week.