GRIGGS

Michael Edward Griggs, 67, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on March 25th, 2022, following a tragic accident resulting in a fatal brain injury.
 

Mike was born on January 16, 1955, to Don and Martha (Marty) Griggs in Celina, Ohio.
 

Mike attended and graduated co-valedictorian from Mendon-Union High School in 1973. He attended Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana where he graduated with majors in Mechanical Engineering and Mathematics.

Mike had a celebrated athletic career at both Mendon-Union and Rose-Hulman. At Mendon, he lettered in three sports - basketball, baseball, and cross country. He was the Mercer County League "Double Digit" Scoring leader averaging over 20 points per game for three consecutive years during which time he also won All-League honors. Mike ended his career as the second-leading scorer in Mendon-Union history and was inducted into the Parkway/Mendon-Union Athletic Hall of Fame in January 2022.

Mike continued his illustrious athletic career at Rose-Hulman where he set the scoring record for freshmen, earned first-team All-Conference honors as a senior when he led the conference in assists and free throw percentage, and helped lead his team to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Division III Tournament. Mike was also a three-year letter winner in baseball and was inducted into the Rose-Hulman Athletic Hall of Fame in 1996.

Following graduation from Rose-Hulman, Mike worked for Proctor & Gamble in De Pere, Wisconsin, before returning home to Ohio and settling in Cincinnati. There he met his wife Karla and raised four children. He spent the last several years of his career working at The Gorilla Glue Company and retired in December 2021. Mike was known by all as a kind and giving person with impeccable values and integrity. He never said a negative word about anyone - the exception being his beloved Cincinnati Reds and Bengals (prior to this year). He read the newspaper daily, loved watching all sports and playing golf, and finished each day with a slice of pie. He recently traveled with family to Dallas to attend the Cotton Bowl and root for the Cincinnati Bearcats, and a great time was had by all.
 

Mike was preceded in death by his parents and his close aunt and uncle, Janie and Jake Griggs.
 

He is survived by his wife Karla Burtch; four sons Adam and his wife Shaney (Cincinnati, OH), Matt and his wife Meagan (Waynesboro, VA), Andrew (San Francisco, CA), and Jonathan (Cincinnati, OH); three grandchildren Mason, Jakey, and Hunter (Cincinnati, OH); brother Scott (Dallas, TX); sister Stacey (Cairo, OH); and nephews and nieces Nathaniel Griggs, Cory, Amanda, and Brandon Parks.
 

A celebration of life will be hosted at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (7701 Kenwood Rd) on Thursday starting at 2:30 pm.

The family will receive friends and family beginning at 1:00 pm.
 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church (www.goodshepherd.com), St. Jude Children's Research Hospital (www.stjude.org), or the Ronald McDonald House of Cincinnati (www.rmhcincinnati.org).