I Considering the fact that I had no unresolved issues with my father I have been able to cope quite well with his passing. I saw my father every day for the last nineteen years. I spoke with him several times each day. It is well with my soul. 

As long as my father was alive I knew that no matter how old I became or what circumstance I could find myself in, I always knew that my father would be there for me.  The hardest thing about losing my father is realizing that no one will ever care about me as much as he did. Nobody will ever love me as much as my parents! 

Statistics tell us the following: the death of a parent is the most predictable major life event of persons aged thirty-five to sixty. The death of a parent is the most common cause of grief by adults in our society. By the time an adult is fifty-four years old, 50 percent would have lost both parents, and by age sixty-two, 75 percent would have lost both parents. A period of thirteen years separates the death of one parent from the other. A mother’s death usually occurs when her adult children are between the ages of forty-five and sixty-four (I am fifty-one.) A father usually dies when his adult children are between the ages of thirty-five and fifty-four. My father’s obituary:

[file:///F:/Documents and Settings/Computer/Local Settings/Temporary Internet Files/Content.IE5/includes/Editorial Index.htm]  Dr. Melvin J. Griffin Sr., age 79, was born the seventh child of the late John A. Griffin Sr., and the late Piccola Duggins Griffin on September 5, 1930. A resident of Montgomery, Alabama, he expired Friday, October 23, 2009. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 52 years Alger James Griffin affectionately called “Honey”, one son, Melvin J. Griffin Jr., six sisters and two brothers. He confessed Christ at an early age and joined Lilly of the Valley Baptist Church in Everetts, N.C. He attended Public Schools in North Carolina and was very proud when Selma University awarded him a Doctor of Humanities Degree in 1987. He married the love of his life Alger James in 1954. They were happily married for more than fifty-two years. To this union they were blessed with three sons, Napoleon Winston Griffin, Melvin J. Griffin Jr. and Attorney Greg Griffin Sr. He enjoyed serving as a Deacon, cooking North Carolina barbeque, but most of all giving philosophical advice to his many friends and family earning him the nickname: “Dr. Watashi”. At a reception held in his honor at Boston University School of Law in 1984 over one hundred law students along with the Dean of the Law school and several Harvard professors were the recipients of his advice: “When you get your law degree, don’t have scared behind it!” “When you stand up in court before the Judge, don’t talk like a mouse, SPEAK UP!” “And always respect the chair, whether it is sitting or standing or lying down!” He took great pride in the fact that because of his many contacts he was since 1976 always just three phone calls from any sitting American President until the day he died. He was equally proud of being invited by one of his son’s best friends, Jeh Charles Johnson, General Counsel, to the Department of Defense to attend his Senate Confirmation hearing in January of this year. He was also very grateful to Alabama Attorney General Troy King for speaking at his 50th wedding anniversary celebration at the Capital City Club and appointing him as Honorary Deputy Attorney General on October 15, 2004. At the time of his death even though he was nearing 80 years old, he was an active full time state of Alabama employee. He had worked continuously since the age of five. He will be forever loved and missed by his two devoted sons Napoleon W. Griffin (Jane) of Louisburg, N.C. and Atty. Greg Griffin Sr. (Debra) of Montgomery, Al.; two brothers, John A. Griffin Jr. and Horace Griffin (Dorothy) both of Williamston, N.C.; two sisters, Grace Perkins and Barbara Walker Griffin; one 96 year old maternal aunt, Louise Armstrong of Long Island, NY; and one maternal uncle Calvin Duggins of Williamston, N.C.; one granddaughter, Alexis Ivana Griffin, of Montgomery, Al.; eight grandsons: Napoleon W. Griffin II of Indianapolis, IN; Alexander W. Griffin (Chairmaine), (children: Mari and Janelle) of Louisburg, N.C.; Julius H. Griffin and William A. Griffin both of Louisburg, N.C.; Joshua Corey Griffin and Melvin J. Griffin III both of Winston Salem, N.C.; Greg Griffin Jr. of Atlanta, Ga.; Christopher M. Griffin of Montgomery, Al.; two great-granddaughters, Azaria Renee George Griffin of Winston Salem, N.C. and Janelle A. Griffin of Louisburg, N.C.; one great grandson Josiah Griffin of Winston Salem, NC; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.