HAMPSTEAD — Lewis “John” Griffith, 70, of Hampstead, North Carolina passed away peacefully on July 25, 2024 in the company of his loved ones.
John was born in Butler, Pennsylvania on March 27, 1954 to Lewis John Griffith Sr. and Rita Scott Griffith. He attended Concord High School in Wilmington, Delaware graduating in 1972 and from there went on to study at the University of Delaware.
In 1979, John married his loving and devoted wife Jean Marie Dielmann Griffith in Wilmington, Delaware. John and Jean have two children, Lauren Marie Griffith Zamitiz and Matthew Ryan Griffith.
John’s passion in life was boating and he introduced his family to regular adventures on the water. He loved sailing to new ports or anchoring at one of his favorite coves. Whether it was for his family, friends, or colleagues, John was an avid mentor and enjoyed sharing his knowledge with anyone willing to learn.
John began his prolific career in the beverage and plastics industries with Honickman Affiliates where he excelled in manufacturing operations. From there, he relocated to Wilmington, North Carolina with Cott Beverages and AMCOR and gained international exposure with Graham Packaging relocating to São Paulo, Brazil. He retired as the Global Business Director of Plastics from the Valspar Corp./Sherwin Williams in 2018.
After retirement, John volunteered his time at All Saints Catholic Church in Building and Maintenance. He spent his time enjoying life on the intracoastal waterway, boating and beaching with Jean and friends, keeping busy by fixing anything and everything, the occasional bourbon night with the boys, and walks on the dock with his first mate, Schooner the dog. He truly enjoyed life.
John was predeceased by his parents Lew and Rita, and his sister Karin Griffith Weiner. He is survived by his wife Jean Griffith, his daughter Lauren Zamitiz, husband Gerry Zamitiz, grandson Lenin Zamitiz, and his son Matthew Griffith, wife Kaitlin Griffith, and grandson Tatum Griffith. John was adored by all as a loving husband, father, grandfather, friend, and mentor.
A funeral mass will be held on Thursday August 8, 2024 at 11 a.m. in Hampstead, North Carolina at All Saints Catholic Church 18737 Hwy 17, Hampstead, NC 28443.
A celebration of John’s life will follow at Splash by the Sea at 12:30 p.m. located on the ground floor of Villa Capriani, 790 New River Inlet Rd. North Topsail Beach, NC 28460.
