Walter Louis
Griffin
1893 - 1945
Ora Malone
1895 - 1974
Walter Louis Griffin, son of James William Henry Griffin and Vir Zille Munson, was born February 11, 1893 in Madison Co. Texas and died April 18, 1945.
Walter married Ora Malone, daughter of Thomas E. Malone and Ella Mary Moore. Ora was born July 8, 1985 in Montgomery Co., Texas and died in 1974 in Gainesville, Florida. They had 3 children:
Lois Griffin, born 1920 - El Paso, Texas,
died 1936 - El Paso, Texas
Harold Dean Griffin, born October 11, 1922 - El Paso, Texas,
died January 5, 2001 - Bryan, Texas
Carolyn Griffin, born 1927 - El Paso, Texas,
died Gainesville, Florida
Walter served in the U. S. Army during WWI. Due to a heart condition he had all his life, he was assigned as a supply clerk at Ft. Bliss in El Paso, Texas. He found that the dry climate was good for his heart condition so after returning to Madison County, Texas after the war, he married Ora and they moved to El Paso. During 1920-1921 he established Griffin Cleaners at 3630 Hueco St. in the Alta Vista area of El Paso. The business and building operated continuously as Griffin Cleaners (under different owners) until a major fire in late 1999, early 2000. Walter owned the business, but he never owned a house. He was a big believer in renting houses. Walter was active in the El Paso community and was a Mason and a Shriner. In 1942-1943 Walter's health turned for the worse and he sold the business (it would operate under the new owner until Walter's son Harold purchased it back in 1948). Walter and Ora returned to Madison Co. and purchased a small farm north-west of Madisonville, Texas. Walter passed away in April 1945. After the end of the war, Ora transferred the farm to her son Harold who ran it until late 1947.
After selling the farm, Ora moved back to El Paso with Harold and Carolyn. She lived in El Paso until 1962 helping run the family cleaning business. In 1962 Ora moved with Carolyn to Florida, where she lived until her heath in 1974.
