Dorothy Jean Nething Griffith

September 26, 1922 – April 28, 2022

Dorothy Jean (Nething) Griffith was born September 26, 1922 in Bellaire, Ohio the daughter of Clarence Herbert and Ruth Alberta (Wise) Nething. She completed this life on Thursday, April 28, 2022 in her home at the age of 99.

Dorothy was born in Belmont County, Ohio and attended school in Bellaire, Ohio, where she graduated from high school as the salutatorian in 1939. She attended Ohio University where she participated in artistic, religious, and leadership organizations, including serving as president of the campus YWCA. She graduated with highest honors in 1943 with a Bachelor of Science in Education.

Through her first job after college as an inspector at the Ravenna Arsenal, she met her future husband David Myrl Griffith. They married on May 28, 1949 and celebrated 48 years together.

Dorothy was the Program Directory for the Teen Age Department at the Cleveland YWCA when Dave was recalled into active military duty in 1950. He was stationed in New York, so she found a position at the National Board YWCA in New York City in the Young Adult and Adult Department. During that time, she was part of the staff that accompanied a girl's group to meet Eleanor Roosevelt at her Hyde Park home. She noted that Mrs. Roosevelt answered the girls' questions, spoke to them in a "down-to-earth" manner, and took them on a tour of the home. After returning to Cleveland, she served as the Center Director for the Cleveland YWCA.

She and Dave moved to South Bend, Indiana with his job. While raising their family, she worked part-time in the office of a department store, and later created advertising layout copy for the store. She continued to volunteer at the YW.

After Dave transferred to Oklahoma City, she became the Executive Director of the Ione Branch of the YWCA in northwest Oklahoma City. During her time there from 1979 until her retirement in 1992, she oversaw the development and expansion of the athletic facilities, increased the program activities, and grew the base of volunteers.

Dorothy enjoyed volunteering at Francis Tuttle Technology Center for 16 years following retirement, where she learned computer skills that were later very helpful in her hobby of genealogy.

Dorothy and Dave were members of First Presbyterian Church and later, following Dave's death on November 9, 1997, she became a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church. She was a member of the Daughters of Union Veterans and the Samuel King Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

In addition to genealogy, she enjoyed doing needlework, reading, playing bridge, playing with her great-grandchildren, and being a companion to her cat, Annie. She will always be remembered as a woman with impeccable fashion sense and style. Throughout life she has shown a spirit of independence, persistence, and caring which she has passed on to her family. She will be greatly missed.

Dorothy is survived by her son, Morgan Griffith and his wife Caren of Vevay, IN; her daughters, Evan Gerfen and her husband Curtis of Oklahoma City and Megan Newberry and her husband Wes of Edmond; her grandchildren, Myles Griffith and his wife Heather, Dylan Griffith and his wife Julie, Chaz Newberry and his wife Ashely, Kayla Newberry, and Cody Newberry and his wife Michaela; her great grandchildren, Anaïs Griffith, Cody Newberry, and Wesley, Audrina, and Braelyn; her brother Dale Nething of Ravenna, Ohio.

Services will be 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 4, 2022 in chapel of Resurrection Memorial Cemetery, 7801 NW Expressway.

Memorials may be made to American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society.