William (Bill) Olin Griffin, Jr., 77, of Fort Worth, passed away peacefully on February 23, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas.
Celebration of Life: 10AM Friday, March 7, 2025 at Lake Shore Funeral Home Chapel.
Bill was born on June 29, 1947, in Concord, North Carolina. He grew up in Dawson and Waco, Texas and graduated from Waco Richfield High School in 1965. With the encouragement of his father, William Sr., he was active in the Texas rodeo circuit from his teenage years into his mid-twenties, roping calves with his horse, Buford. One of his proudest moments was riding in the Grand Entrance of the Fort Worth Stock Show as a teenager.
After graduation, Bill joined and served in the United States Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Reserve from 1966 to 1972. In 1970, he married Carole Anne Cook of Waco. They were married for 40 years before Carole’s death in 2011. Bill primarily worked as a structural steel estimator and project manager for several firms, including Davis Iron Works, Alamo Steel and CNC Steel Fabricators in Waco, Longview, and Austin. He was a project manager for ornamental iron used in the restoration of the Texas State Capitol in the early 1990s.
Bill was introduced to golf by his in-laws, Dr. and Mrs. Joe Cook of Waco and never shook the bug. He made up in enthusiasm what he lacked in skill. Despite this, he once played the game of his life and won a new car in a contest aired by a local Austin television station. Even after he could no longer play, he was an avid viewer of the Golf Channel.
Bill had a strong faith in God and took pride in the fact he had read the Bible all the way through multiple times. His personal motto was to “go through each day with a cool head, a warm heart, and a smile.” When asked how he was, his invariable reply was: “Short, fat, and lovable.” He filled legal pads with his song lyrics, poems, and aphorisms on men and women, politics, religion, and life in general. On birthdays, you could expect him to call family and friends and sing “Happy Birthday” off-key.
Some words he wrote in his notebook at Christmas in 2020 express how he felt about his family and friends:
I just want to say how much I love each of you.
I feel like God has blessed me with your love.
I hope I can do something to pay him back,
And I hope you can feel like you are a little better off for having known me.
I am a better person for having you in my life.
Bill was preceded in death by wife Carole in 2011, and his sister, Donna Saccomanno in 2021.
Bill is survived by son, William Griffin III and wife Charla; stepson, Brent Johnstone and wife Janice; seven grandchildren, Garrett Griffin, Cheryl Griffin, Kenneth Griffin, Thomas Johnstone, Emma Johnstone, Jonathan Griffin, and Landry Griffin.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (www.nmcrs.org).
Place of Service: Lake Shore Funeral Home Chapel , 5201 Steinbeck Bend; Waco, TX 76708
Print Obituary & Condolences
Bill was a dear friend for more than sixty years, a fine man with a warm wit who was unfailingly loyal to his family and many old friends. I will miss him always.