LARSO NEWS
The Los Alamos Retired and Senior Organization (LARSO) will hold a memorial service at 2 p.m., Monday, Nov. 4 for James Griffin at the Betty Ehart Senior Center and the community is invited to attend.
Griffin, a member of the center passed away unexpectedly and without family members. The senior center, more precisely the transportation department was his “family,” visiting with him often and taking him to appointments. As a member of the LARSO family, and former US Army veteran, they could not allow him to pass without recognition. On Monday, Nov. 4, those who knew and did not know Griffin are welcome to pay tribute to a member that served our country.
The service will include readings from friends across the country and others, who knew Griffin. Stories from his past, along with words from community members, will highlight his work and hobbies. The memorial, led by the Rev. Keith Lewis, from the United Church of Los Alamos, with assistance from American Legion Chaplain, Sean Liming, will include; music from Ken Hendricks of Home Instead, a presentation of the colors by Los Alamos High School NJROTC cadets. The service will also result in reverence for a former soldier, in a community steeped in history.
“The outpouring of love and kindness has been heartwarming,” said Bernadette Lauritzen, LARSO executive director. “We will use this circumstance to reach out to community members that may also not have family.”
Lauritzen said LARSO is working with Jenn Bartram of Final Wishes Known and Tim Rivera of Rivera Funeral Homes to host a presentation on end of life documents at 12:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 8.
She said LARSO has also collaborated with the Los Alamos Fire Department on the Vial of Life, which will provide an assist to home bound residents.
The senior center has seen the donation of time, talent and donations, to provide cookies for a light reception following the event. Accordidirector@loslamosseniorcenter.comng to Lauritzen, the American Legion has graciously volunteered to perform an official flag folding ceremony, and play taps for the service
It has been shared that Mr. Griffin served in the U.S. Army in the early fifties during the Korean War. He also worked as a switchman for the Southern Pacific Railroad in the San Francisco Bay area. He graduated from the University of California-Berkeley in 1965 with a degree in mathematics. He also worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory in the 1980s and 1990s in the the Space Recharge Program, Group C-3, the Computing Division, C-6, C-9, C-10 and Eng-7.
For more information, call (505) 662-8920 or email director@loslamosseniorcenter.com