Ginger Griffin

Ginger Griffin of Bartlesville passed away April 29. He died peacefully under hospice care with his wife and two children at his side.

Ginger lived 89 years and had a big impact on those around him — whether that was his family, his community or his colleagues.

He was a banking sales manager specializing in foreign exchange and financial markets whose career included posts in Oklahoma, Texas, Ohio, New York City, Mexico City, Chicago and Geneva, and after retiring, a community leader in Bartlesville.

Ginger Griffin was born Sept. 13, 1933, in Seminole to Roy and Otelia Griffin. He had three siblings: James, Frances and Gene. He grew up primarily in Tulsa, Claremore and Pawhuska, graduating from Pawhuska High School in 1951.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1956 from Oklahoma State University, where he served as president of the Sigma Chi fraternity and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

In 1956, Ginger joined the U.S. Army as a reserve officer and in 1957 completed basic infantry training at Fort Benning, Ga. He eventually earned the rank of captain. He met Bartlesville native Barbara Anne Terrell and they married in 1959.

Ginger worked as a manager for Southwestern Bellin Bartlesville in the late 1950s before taking a job with Sid Richardson Carbon Co. in Fort Worth. The company moved him to Akron, Ohio, in 1962. The couple had their first child, Truly, that year, and their second, Greg, four years later. Ginger earned an MBA from Kent State University.

In 1966, he took a finance job with Phillips Petroleum in Bartlesville. In 1972, Citibank hired him to help manage its foreign exchange operations, and the family moved to the New York area. From 1978 to 1980, he was stationed in Mexico City, and then returned to New York.

Ginger joined First National Bank of Chicago in 1984 as foreign exchange and capital markets marketing manager. During 1990-92 he was stationed in Geneva, Switzerland. After returning to Chicago, he served various roles until retiring in 2001.

Ginger threw himself into community service. He co-founded Bartlesville Education Promise in 2013. The nonprofit is focused on improving student outcomes, particularly graduation rates.

He also served as interim executive director and vice chairman of the OK Mozart music festival; board member of Great Expectations educational foundation; board president of Green Country Retirement Village; and trustee of the Bartlesville Community Center.

Ginger was a gentle, caring and devoted husband, father, grandfather, uncle and friend — a fine example to those who looked up to him. In the end, he succumbed to severe dementia.

He is survived by his wife Anne Terrell Griffin, daughter Truly Griffin, son Greg Griffin and his wife Marta Alejandro-Martinez, and grandchildren Ana Griffin and Elisa Griffin; sister-in-law Trudy Griffin, nephew Gene Griffin, niece Sylvia Griego and numerous grand nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Bartlesville Education Promise, Attn: Treasurer, P.O. Box 2323, Bartlesville, OK 74005; or The Journey Home, 900 NE Washington Blvd, Bartlesville, OK 74006.

Services will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, May 9 at the First Presbyterian Church of Bartlesville. Services are under the direction of Carter Davis and the Davis Family Funeral Home & Crematory – Walker Brown Chapel. Online condolences and remembrances may be shared at www.DavisFamilyFuneralHome.com