Back in 2011, NorthernLife.ca featured Griffin in the "My Car" series of stories we did at the time. He shared his love for the 1984 Cutlass Supreme, the car in which he proposed to his wife, and posed for photos in the vehicle with Zoe, when she was just 11 months old.
NorthernLife.ca is reprinting the story today as a tribute to Griffin, to recall a happier time. He was a family man, a community volunteer and an all-round good guy. Rich Griffin, you will be missed.
This morning, KiSS 105.3's Angela Gemmill posted the following message about Griffin's passing:
We have heavy hearts here at KiSS & Q-92 as we’ve lost a friend and co-worker. Rich Griffin, Morning-show host on KiSS 105.3 suffered a brain aneurism over the weekend and was put on life-support so he could be an organ donor. He was 52. For 14 years, Rich helped wake up Sudbury weekday mornings with his co-host Gary Beech. Rich was extremely involved in the community, from emceeing events to involvements with non-profit groups. He leaves behind his wife Nancy and five-year-old daughter Zoe. Funeral arrangements are still incomplete at this time, but we will share those details as soon as they’re known. Please keep Rich’s family and his radio family at 880 Lasalle in your thoughts and prayers.
Reprinted from April 2011
My Car - Supremely memorable
In 1995, Rich Griffin’s father gave him his 1984 Cutlass Supreme Brougham. His father said he needed a car that had better gas mileage.
“I call it the last of the gas guzzlers,” Griffin said.
The Oldsmobile wasn’t Griffin’s first though.
“I had a 1974 Cutlass and it got totaled in an accident,” he said.
Griffin, who came to Sudbury in 2001 to work for EZ Rock, said the car “is of great sentimental value.”
He proposed to his wife at Springbank Park in London, Ont. while out for a drive in the car.
The pleasure car has been in storage for the last 10 years, but over the last few years, Griffin has been putting some work into it.
The floor was replaced on both the driver and passenger sides, the doors were both rehung and the back fender panels were replaced. Work has been done on the back wheel wells as well and the lighter has been modified into an adapter. The trunk floor was taken from a 1986 Cutlass.
He’s had it painted and the original striping detail replaced and said he hopes to exhibit it in car shows soon.
