James Richard "Rick" Griffin's Obituary
James Richard “Rick” Griffin, 64, of Columbus, died on March 7, 2026. Born in Niles, OH on April 4, 1961 to James and Janet Griffin, he was the third of six children. He was raised in Niles and graduated from Niles McKinley High School.
He worked at Trumbull Memorial Hospital in Physical Therapy for many years. He moved to Columbus and worked at Honda in Marysville until his retirement.
Rick loved all sports, his favorite was Indians/Guardians baseball. He was also a fan of the Carolina Panthers. He loved the beach and spent many weekends and vacations at his family cabin on Lake Erie or on the coast in North Carolina. He had extensive knowledge of music and trivia. He was a friend of all 4 legged pets, both feline and canine. Becky was his special princess.
Rick was preceded in death by his wife April, his first wife Vicki, his brother Tom, and his father Jim. He is survived by sons Jeremy (Staci) Griffin and Graham (Helene) Griffin; grandchildren Lauren, Marina, Katie, Cayden, and Finn Griffin; siblings Libby (Gary) Bauman, Fred Griffin, Dan (Lynn) Griffin, and Chris Ronyak; and nieces and nephews Dan (Shelbey) Bauman, Laura (Justin) Blanche, Kaila Griffin, and Susie Griffin.
A celebration of life will be held April 26, 6-10 p.m. at Elton Beard Family Cabin, 375 Boardman Poland Rd, Youngstown, OH 44512. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Cat Welfare Association 741 Wetmore Rd, Columbus, OH 43214.
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