Mitchell County  Georgia Obituaries John Milward Griner Sr. 1952

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Obituary of John Milward Griner Sr. 
as written in "The Camilla Enterprise" dated 6 Jun 1952.  


Camilla, Georgia.  Funeral services were held Tuesday, 3 Jun 1952, at 3:30 
PM at the First Baptist Church for John Milward Griner, 52, who died unexpectedly 
around 12:00 PM Sunday, 1 Jun 1952, of a heart attack. He was at the home of his 
brother Kerfoot Griner, in Cross City, Florida where he had spent the night on his way to 
Dunnellon, Florida to attend funeral services of his Uncle Ben J. Marshall.  Rev Charles 
Duncan, pastor, officiated at the services and was assisted by Rev N. H. Williams.  
Interment followed in Oakview Cemetery where Masonic rites were conducted.  Serving 
as pallbearers were members of the Mitchell County Board of Commissioners and other 
county officials. Survivors include his wife, the former Marie Gafford, and two 
daughters, Mrs. George Shingler of Ashburn and Genova Marie Griner of Camilla; three 
sons, PFC Donald Griner of Camp Lejune, N. C., John Milward Griner Jr. a student at 
University of Georgia in Athens, Ga., and Harold Edward Griner of Camilla; one brother, 
Kerfoot Griner of Cross City, Fla., two sisters, Mrs. Grace Fitzgerald of Camilla, and 
Mrs. J. Ira Smith of Dunnellon, Fla.  John M. Griner was born in 1900 near Pebble City, 
the son of the late John Griner and Genova Cooper Griner.  He was a little over sixteen 
years old when he enlisted for duty in the first World War, serving with the 28th Infantry, 
First Division, the outfit receiving the French Croix de Guerre with two palms.  Griner 
received serious shrapnel wounds in his leg and he was awarded the Purple Heart and 
Silver Star for action in the Battle of Cantigny where he was wounded.  He was 
discharged a Private by reason of disability on 29 Sep 1919.  Returning home from World 
War I, he attended Georgia Tech and the University of Georgia.  In 1922 he was happily 
married to the former Miss Marie Gafford who survives him along with their five 
children.  He was a member of the Baptist Church, the American Legion Post 141 where 
he took an active interest in Legion affairs. As a Mason, he was Secretary of the Lodge at 
the time of his death and he was a Past Master of Blue Lodge No, 169. Griner served one 
term as Mitchell County Tax Collector going into office in 1937 and serving until the end 
of 1940.  It was in 1949 that he was named Clerk of the Mitchell County Board of 
Commissioners and he held that post at the time of his death.