Lera Uvalda Griffis Griffis Smith Bennett was born on May 21, 1912 in K'Ville, Wayne County, Georgia. She was the daughter of Daniel Kirkland Griffis (son of William "Manning" and Mary "Pollie" Griffis; grandson of Daniel Kirkland Griffis I and Imogene "Jane" Thornton Griffis and David and Louisa Johnson Griffis) and his wife, Macy Mazelle Carter Griffis (daughter of William "Riley" Carter and his wife, Linnie Sapp Carter; granddaughter of Jacob and Mary Howard Carter and John and Irene Spence Sapp). She was the sibling of: Doris "Cleo" Griffis Sullivan (1914-2001);Vera Lovada Griffis Westberry (1910-1991); Joseph Delmus "JD" Griffis (1917-1969);Cleveron Alois "Lois" Griffis Williams Purvis Mayo (1920-1960); and Macy Margaret Griffis (1922-1922 died 15 days after her birth, her mother, Macy Mazelle Carter Griffis died shortly after her birth).Lera was the mother of Clois Merthaline Smith, Ford,Forsyth and William Smith to her first husband, Barney Kendrick Smith. Her second husband was Robert Griffis who had been previously married to her mother's sister, Mildred Carter Griffis. Her third husband was Keith Bennett. Grandchildren (children of her daughter Merthaline and her first husband, Alfred Lorenzo Ford II): Carolyn Yvonne Ford, Bevan, Kinslow: David Wayne Ford; Alfred Lorenzo Ford III.Children of her son, William Doyle Smith: Denise Michel Smith Garrabrant; Glenn Alan Smith and Mary Kay Smith Gerdes. Lera loved to attend church and especially loved to preach, which she did on occasion. According to a letter from Lera's sister, Vera Lovada Westberry Griffis (1910-1991) dated June 24, 1977 and sent to her grandson, Robert Westberry: "I am so sad, my sister, Lera died last Saturday with a massive heart attack. The funeral will be held today at 10 AM. I wish Cleo (Doris Cleo Griffis Sullivan, Lera's other sister living in Arcadia, Florida at the time) and I could have gone but neither of us was able to make the trip and it cost so much. Cleo and I sent flowers. I guess I should have called Hazel (Hazel Westberry Paesano, Vera's daughter and Lera's niece, living in Pennsylvania)but I figured she couldn't go to the funeral but she could send Mert (Merthaline, Lera's daughter living in Florida) a card if she wants too. I'm sorry I didn't call Hazel."
Lera is buried in Michigan, far from her relatives in Georgia and Florida. It is nice to bring them back together, once again, with this memorial.
Lera is buried in Michigan, far from her relatives in Georgia and Florida. It is nice to bring them back together, once again, with this memorial.
Lera Uvalda Griffis Griffis Smith Bennett was born on May 21, 1912 in K'Ville, Wayne County, Georgia. She was the daughter of Daniel Kirkland Griffis (son of William "Manning" and Mary "Pollie" Griffis; grandson of Daniel Kirkland Griffis I and Imogene "Jane" Thornton Griffis and David and Louisa Johnson Griffis) and his wife, Macy Mazelle Carter Griffis (daughter of William "Riley" Carter and his wife, Linnie Sapp Carter; granddaughter of Jacob and Mary Howard Carter and John and Irene Spence Sapp). She was the sibling of: Doris "Cleo" Griffis Sullivan (1914-2001);Vera Lovada Griffis Westberry (1910-1991); Joseph Delmus "JD" Griffis (1917-1969);Cleveron Alois "Lois" Griffis Williams Purvis Mayo (1920-1960); and Macy Margaret Griffis (1922-1922 died 15 days after her birth, her mother, Macy Mazelle Carter Griffis died shortly after her birth).Lera was the mother of Clois Merthaline Smith, Ford,Forsyth and William Smith to her first husband, Barney Kendrick Smith. Her second husband was Robert Griffis who had been previously married to her mother's sister, Mildred Carter Griffis. Her third husband was Keith Bennett. Grandchildren (children of her daughter Merthaline and her first husband, Alfred Lorenzo Ford II): Carolyn Yvonne Ford, Bevan, Kinslow: David Wayne Ford; Alfred Lorenzo Ford III.Children of her son, William Doyle Smith: Denise Michel Smith Garrabrant; Glenn Alan Smith and Mary Kay Smith Gerdes. Lera loved to attend church and especially loved to preach, which she did on occasion. According to a letter from Lera's sister, Vera Lovada Westberry Griffis (1910-1991) dated June 24, 1977 and sent to her grandson, Robert Westberry: "I am so sad, my sister, Lera died last Saturday with a massive heart attack. The funeral will be held today at 10 AM. I wish Cleo (Doris Cleo Griffis Sullivan, Lera's other sister living in Arcadia, Florida at the time) and I could have gone but neither of us was able to make the trip and it cost so much. Cleo and I sent flowers. I guess I should have called Hazel (Hazel Westberry Paesano, Vera's daughter and Lera's niece, living in Pennsylvania)but I figured she couldn't go to the funeral but she could send Mert (Merthaline, Lera's daughter living in Florida) a card if she wants too. I'm sorry I didn't call Hazel."
Lera is buried in Michigan, far from her relatives in Georgia and Florida. It is nice to bring them back together, once again, with this memorial.
Lera is buried in Michigan, far from her relatives in Georgia and Florida. It is nice to bring them back together, once again, with this memorial.
