Noel E. "Evvie" Griffin Jr.'s Obituary
Sheriff, Noel E. "Evvie" Griffin Jr. (Lake County Florida Retired) 89, passed away on April 16, 2018. He was a lifetime resident of Eustis where he lived on the Griffin Ranch that his Great Grandfather started. He was known by family and many friends as "Evvie", the nickname that he acquired as a young boy when he would answer the telephone and tried to say his name as Noel Edward. He attended the University of Florida for two years after graduating from Eustis High School in 1947.
After serving two years in the Navy Reserve he started working as a Lake County Deputy Sheriff for Sheriff Willis V. McCall. At that time there were only five deputies working the whole county. After several years he returned to working on the ranch until he became a Special Investigator for the Brevard County Sheriff's Office. He then returned to Lake County and worked for Sheriff Guy Bliss. After Bliss was defeated he worked for the Volusia County State Attorney's Office. He was elected Lake County Sheriff in 1981 and served two terms until 1989. Sheriff Griffin was instrumental in bringing the Sheriff's Office up to the standards of the 1980's and was able to get better pay and working conditions for the deputies and the Lake County Jail. Evvie was a past Director of the Florida Sheriff's Association, a lifetime member of the Eustis Elks Lodge and a Charter Member of the Clermont Moose Club. After retirement from law enforcement he went back to working the Griffin Ranch. In 2015 he was awarded the 1st Legacy Award from the Sheriff's Association for a case he worked on when he was a Deputy Sheriff in 1961. There has been a book published by Gilbert King about this case. Evvie loved Lake County and was very proud to be a resident. He is survived by his wife Peggy, they have been married for 30 years, his children; Noel E. Griffin III and his wife Perri of St. Augustine, Monte Griffin and his wife Nicole of Sorrento, and his daughter Debra Faye, grandsons; Noel E. "Sonny" Griffin IV, Drew Griffin, Josh Griffin and Jake Griffin, three step children; Colon Bowden, Robert Bowden and Debbie Story. Richard Pettis has been the Foreman of the Griffin Ranch for many years and loved and respected Evvie as his own father.
Graveside services will be held in Greenwood Cemetery, Eustis at 11 AM on Friday, April 20th with Rev. Brooks Braswell officiating. A reception will follow the graveside service at Lake Receptions, 4425 North Hwy 19 A, Mount Dora, FL 32757
In lieu of flowers please send memorials to Cornerstone Hospice, 2445 Lane Park Road, Tavares, FL 32778.
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