Roper Funeral Home and Crematory

206 Holly St

Jasper, GA 30143

(706) 253-7500

(706) 253-0040

www.roperfuneralhome.com

Shirley Anne Griffith was a woman born ahead of her time; a life-long athlete, educator, mentor, and champion of equality for women. She passed peacefully on October 26, 2026, after 92 years of a life well-lived.

Shirley was born in Dayton, Ohio to Mildred and George Turvey. Shirley attended Stivers High school, where she was invited to play on the men's tennis team by their coach who recognized her exceptional athletic ability. After winning several matches in the #1 doubles spot, Shirley was declared "ineligible" and removed from the team due to petitions received from opposing teams. True to her indomitable spirit, Shirley did not let this unfair treatment dampen her passion for playing sports. She continued to compete and win tennis titles in local and regional tournaments throughout her high school years. After graduating in 1952, she continued to Ohio Wesleyan University where she played tennis, field hockey, basketball, and volleyball. She won the Ohio State Intercollegiate Tennis Championships in both her sophomore and junior years and finished as runner-up her senior year. She was also selected to the Buckeye field hockey team and competed in the Great Lakes 1 national tournament in 1957. Shirley rounded out her time at Ohio Wesleyan by earning her bachelor's degree in physical education. Later in Shirley's life, as women's sports began to gain wider acceptance, she was finally recognized for her outstanding achievements by being inducted into Ohio Wesleyan's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1977, into the Dayton Tennis Hall of Fame in 1994, and finally, in the Stivers High School Hall of Fame in 2010. Even in Shirley's senior years of life, she continued to be a force to be reckoned with, earning two USTA National Team titles, two Gold Medals for women's doubles in the Senior Olympics and ranking in numerous local and regional tournaments in the Ohio Valley area between 1980 and 1991.

Shirley's love of sports became a legacy of teaching when she started the girl's tennis and field hockey teams at Vandalia-Butler High School in Dayton where she also coached volleyball, basketball, and softball in her four years there as the women's physical education teacher. Later she moved on to Fairmont East High School in Kettering, Ohio where she coached both the girl's tennis and golf teams and transitioned to being a beloved guidance counselor after earning her master's degree in counseling from Miami University in 1966. In addition, she coached women's tennis at Wright State University for three years. In 1989, Shirley retired after 25 years of teaching, mentoring, and counseling students in the greater Dayton area.

Shirley's love of the game was matched by her love of music. As her children will attest, their home life was filled with classical music playing on the family stereo, piano lessons, and encouragement of learning other instruments and participation in marching band and orchestra. Shirley had a beautifully strong alto voice which she shared in church choirs for over 65 years, most notably at Grace United Methodist Church in Dayton, Ohio, and at the Big Canoe Chapel in Big Canoe, Georgia.

While at Grace Church, Shirley met her soulmate, Gordon H. Griffith, a tenor, whom she was married to for over 66 wonderful years. Shirley and Gordon both had a love and appreciation for wildlife and the outdoors, which they instilled in their children through countless summer vacations and camping trips across the US to explore National Parks, canoeing adventures on Dayton-area rivers and lakes, and routine after-church Sunday hikes and outings with binoculars and cameras at the ready. Shirley had a funny habit of collecting natural treasures on these outings; interesting rocks, sticks, acorns, and pinecones often filled her pockets by the end of the day. Where most would only see a pinecone, or an acorn, Shirley would see the building blocks of a beautiful Christmas wreath, or a painted bird on a branch. A teacher through and through, Shirley continued to share her creative spark, wonderfully dry humor, and engaging life stories and lessons with her family, cherished wellness visitors and caretakers to the end, painting a legacy of love, learning and laughter on the hearts of those who knew her.

Shirley is survived by her devoted husband of 66 years, Gordon H. Griffith of Big Canoe; son Dr. Scott (Becky) Griffith of Big Canoe; and daughter Karen Larsen of Cohutta, GA. In addition, she leaves a legacy of four grandchildren: Courtney (Ben) Jenkins, Brett Griffith, Kyler (Sharee) Larsen, and Rachael Larsen; and three great-grandsons, Beau and Jameson Jenkins and Colten Larsen. Extended family includes her sister-in-law, Carolyn Carlton; nieces Sharon Bartee and Alison Johnson; nephew Christopher Turvey; and cousin Peter Rauch. Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, Mildred Rauch Turvey and George H. Turvey, both of Dayton, OH; brother, Kenneth Turvey of Huntsville, AL; and life-long-friend Kathy Armstrong of Dayton, OH.

Shirley's family invites you to share in her Celebration of Life service on Saturday, November 14, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. in the Big Canoe Chapel at 226 Wolfscratch Village Circle, Big Canoe, Georgia. Light refreshments to follow in the Broyles Center. The interment service will be limited to family, at her final resting place in the Big Canoe Columbarium later in the afternoon.

The family would like to extend heartfelt gratitude for the exceptional care Shirley received in the local Timbers Memory Care Unit from the loving members of the Timbers and Trinity Hospice staff. Additionally, they would like to thank all the wonderful volunteers with the Big Canoe Wellness Collaborative who spent countless hours visiting with Shirley during her time at the Timbers.

In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests donations be made to either the Big Canoe Chapel Music Ministry or the Georgia Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association (<https://www.alz.org/georgia>).

Arrangements are entrusted to the Staff of Roper Funeral Home and Crematory.