Griffin, Thomas Joseph Jr., a retired Raytheon executive and a 50-year resident of Needham died at home on February 17 after a long illness. He was 80. Born in Boston, Mr. Griffin was son of the late Thomas J. and Margaret (Clifford) Griffin originally from County Kerry, Ireland and brother of Francis X. Griffin and his wife Marie of Brighton. A devoted husband and father, Mr. Griffin leaves his childhood sweetheart and wife of 54 years, Kathleen (Connolly) Griffin, his four children, Kristin (Griffin) Lynch of Needham; Keri (Griffin) Leary of Needham and her late husband Peter Leary; Thomas and his wife Eowyn (Daly) Griffin of Brookline; James and his wife Suzanne (Kadrie) Griffin of Clarendon Hills, Illinois; and his nine beloved grandchildren, Juliet, Jessi and Leo Leary and Griffin Lynch of Needham; Thomas Griffin of Brookline, and Liam, Jake, Colin and Alena Griffin of Clarendon Hills, Illinois. He also leaves many nieces and nephews.
Mr. Griffin graduated from St. Columbkille High School in Brighton, MA in 1952. In 1957, he received a bachelors of science degree in chemical engineering from Northeastern University where he was a member of the basketball team and the ROTC program. After graduating, he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the US Army. He began his 43-year career with Raytheon as a Northeastern Co-op student. While working for Raytheon's Missile Systems Division, Mr. Griffin earned his MBA from Northeastern University in 1963 and graduated from Defense Systems Management College at Fort Belvoir, Virginia in 1977. Throughout his career, Mr. Griffin traveled extensively throughout the US, Europe and the Middle East and was a US delegate to the NATO Industrial Advisory Group. Mr. Griffin served as Program Manager for a variety of Raytheon missile programs including Patriot, Hawk, and Stinger. He spent the last eight years of his career as Deputy Program Manager for Raytheon's Saudi Arabian Program Office. He was also an active member of the Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks in Brighton.
Visiting hours will be held at George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 1305 Highland Avenue, Needham on Wednesday, February 25, 4-8 pm. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Joseph Church in Needham on Thursday, February 26 at 10 am. Interment to follow at St. Joseph Cemetery in West Roxbury.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mr. Griffin's memory to the St. Columbkille Program, Lynch School of Education, Boston College, 140 Commonwealth Avenue, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467.