Harold R Griffith

Harold R. Griffith died at home on August 12 after a brief illness. Harold was born to Rena Griffith and Edmund Skinner on April 20,1933 in St. James, Barbados. A beloved memory from his boyhood days, was frolicking on the shore and in the water with classmates before school. After completing grade school, he worked alongside his father as a fisherman for many years. In addition, he worked as a migrant farm worker in Florida before returning to Barbados to raise a family.

In 1955, Harold married Dorothy Gibson and out of that union were 10 children. He continued on, tirelessly, as a migrant worker to provide for his growing family. We lovingly called our dad 'dada'.
Dada traveled back and forth between Barbados and America while sending home weekly support. God miraculously opened a door when he met an American tourist on the beach.

Their conversation led to this gentleman sponsoring Harold to come to the US. He then sent for his wife and children to join him.
Harold became a self-employed professional painter after working for a family-owned painting company for many years. He also became an ordained minister, speaking and preaching. He loved the outdoors and especially the ocean since he was a child. As a skilled swimmer, he would often carry his children and grandkids on his back into the ocean and pool. He enjoyed taking his grandkids to swimming lessons as well as baseball practices and games. He would be proud to know that his granddaughter became a lifeguard and saved two lives!
Some of his other loves were singing hymns, reading his Bible, and watching sports. Harold relished his bajan heritage-from politics to bajan cuisine.

Harold is survived by his wife, Dorothy, daughters Margaret, Maxine, Marveta, Cheryl (deceased), Meshelle, Joyce and husband Esteve Louis, Harold Jr., Andrew, Marcia, and Reynold, sister Elza Griffith(NY), and many loving grandchildren, great-grands, nieces and nephews, and friends and family in the US and Barbados.

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