Obituaries – Their Stories Live On

Deacon William "Billy" Griggs, 90, of Mt. Hope, died Friday, June 12, 2015.

Born March 12, 1925 in Turkey Knob, WV, he was the son of the late Eddie B. and Mary L. Williams Griggs.

He attended Dubois High School, was self-employed, along with his wife, as owner and operator of Billy's Salvage Yard, trustee of the former First Baptist Church of Mt. Hope, deacon and member of First Baptist and United Missionary Baptist Church, Grand Trustee of the Royal Craft Grand Lodge F &AAY Masons, and Master of Hiram Abiff Lodge No. 12-Harvey.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by sons, Jeffrey and William Jr.; daughter, Betty Griggs Kenney; sisters, Mary Frances Armstrong, Marsha Dawson, Kathleen Lanier, Geraldine Pleasant; and brother, Everette.

Left to cherish precious memories are his loving wife, Estelle Penn Griggs; sons, Charles "Larry" (Belinda) of Charleston and Thomas Alfred Brooks, both of Los Angeles, CA; daughter, Yvonne (Dennis) Washington of Cincinnati, OH; daughter-in-law, Rhonda Griggs McKeown of Cross Lanes; brother, Charles of Michigan; sister, Juanita Merchant of Indianapolis; godson, Leonard (Louise) Powell of Glen Jean; nine grandchildren, Shae', Jennifer, Krystal, Lindsay, William "Little Billy" III, Elliott, Tyrone, Mason, and Courtney; nine great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren and a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be 1:00pm, Saturday, June 20, 2015 at United Missionary Baptist Church, 205 S. Fayette Ave., Mt. Hope, with Rev. Phillip E. Copney, Sr. officiating. Burial will follow in Greenwood Memorial Park, Beckley. Friends may call one hour prior to the service at the church.

Condolences may be emailed to ritchie-johnson@suddenlinkmail.com

Arrangements entrusted to Ritchie and Johnson Funeral Parlor, Beckley.