Anita Williams Griffin CHARLOTTE - Charlotte native Anita Williams Griffin, 88, went to be with her Lord in the early morning hours of January 23, 2016, at the Brookdale South Park Memory Care Center. She was with her family and caring members of the Brookdale staff at the time of her passing. Anita batted against Alzheimer's for over a decade and she fought with incredible courage and total dignity. Anita was born on January 16, 1928, at Presbyterian Hospital on Hawthorne Lane in Charlotte. She was the oldest of the six children of Silas and Lily Williams. Anita attended Villa Heights Elementary School and graduated from Charlotte Technical High School in 1947. She was married to Henry W. "Dub" Griffin on December 4, 1948, at the First Church of God which then stood at 18th and Pegram Streets in Charlotte. They would remain together for 64 years until Dub's death in 2012. Anita experienced so much of Charlotte's history where she resided for her entire life. In high school, she worked at the lunch counter at Kress Five and Dime on the square at Trade and Tryon. She also had a high school summer job as a cracker maker at Lance Packing Company which was then on South Boulevard near downtown. Her area of study at Charlotte Technical High School was secretarial skills and she would become a secretary/administrative assistant for her career. During the last 15 years of her career she served as the Administrative Assistant to Pastor Ross Rhoads at Calvary Church in Charlotte and always cherished her time there and the church family there. Anita was a totally devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Anita and Dub would each year sponsor and fund a summer vacation at North Myrtle Beach for the entire family which provided a treasure of priceless memories for the family members to this day. She is survived by three children, Becky Griffin of Apex, Mike Griffin of Indian Trail, and Debbie Galyen of Charlotte. Anita's greatest joy were her grandchildren, Allea Ingram of Apex, Rebecca Galyen of Charlotte, Rachel Schaaf of Apex, Bethany Galyen of Fredericksburg, VA, Munyenneh Griffin and Kato Griffin of Indian Trail. Her great-grandchildren are Laila Schaaf and Vivian Ingram of Apex. She is also survived by brothers Norman Williams of Jacksonville, FL, Bobby Williams of Charlotte, and sisters Martha Huffingham of Jacksonville, FL, Linda Williams of Jacksonville, FL, and Brenda Witt of Burlington, NC. The family would like to thank the staff of The Ivey Senior Adult Day Care where Anita was provided loving care for over two years as her disease progressed. They would also like to express their appreciation to the staff at Brookdale South Park where many of the staff treated Anita with the care a family member would receive during her last seven months. Anita loved children, not just her own family, but all children. A devout believer in Jesus, she served as a Sunday school teacher of toddlers for many years and would speak fondly of this experience throughout her life. In honor of Anita's love of children and Sunday school, the family requests that those who would like to make a memorial gift please direct the gifts to the Southbrook Church Children's Ministry, 5607 Monroe-Weddington Road, Weddington, NC 28104. The family will receive visitors at McEwen Pineville Chapel, 10500 Park Road on Saturday, January 30, at 10AM followed by a memorial service at 11AM.