Kenneth William Griffith

Kenneth William Griffith, age 85, of AuTrain died peacefully on September 3, 2026 after a brief battle with cancer. He died at home under the care of his wife, family, and North Woods Hospice.

Ken was born on March 4, 1941 to Howard and Sarah Belle (nee Olmsted) Griffith in Detroit, Michigan. He was the youngest of five children. Ken’s family soon moved to Munising, Michigan where he graduated from Lincoln Elementary and Wm. G. Mather High School in 1959.

Ken joined the U.S. Navy and served proudly as a Gunner’s Mate from July 15, 1959 until July 12, 1963 on the USS Cavalier.

On January 16, 1965, he married Eileen Phillips in California where they would live and raise their children. Ken worked for Save Mart as a meat cutter and eventually a manager of the meat counter for thirty years.

Ken and Eileen traveled and had many adventures upon Ken’s retirement in the RV. They toured the country and visited their expanding family of grandchildren.

In 2001 they moved back to the U.P. and built their home in AuTrain where he would live until his death.

Ken was a faithful member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and attended mass at St. Therese in AuTrain.

Uncle Ken will be remembered as the favorite uncle who taught many kids to fish. He will be remembered by his neighbors in AuTrain for his many walks in the village and his loving and caring nature.

Ken is survived by his wife of almost sixty-two years – Eileen Griffith; daughter and son-in-law – Joanne and Scott Cunningham; sons – Michael (Stephanie) Griffith and Kenny Griffith; sister – Joyce (Robert) Nelson; granddaughters – Ashley (Beau) Baker and Sara (Zach) Pisarski; grandsons – Neil Griffith, Parker (Linda) Griffith, Alex Griffith, and Julian Griffith; great-grandchildren – Benjamin Kenneth Pisarski and Katharina Pisarski; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Howard and Sarah Belle Griffith, brothers – Donald and Neil, and sister Corrine.

Father Prijo Joseph will lead an interment service at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Munising on Thursday, September 10, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Military honors will be rendered by the Alger County Veterans Honor Guard. Any family, neighbors, and friends are invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Ken’s name are requested to be made as a Mass card available at Sacred Heart Church or a donation to the St. Vincent De Paul Society.