James Griffith

James Ray Griffith, 80, of Massillon, passed away on August 30, 2026 surrounded by his loving family.

He was born on August 26, 1946 to the late Harry and Dorothy (Pitts) Griffith in Canton, OH.

He was a proud veteran of the United States Army, serving in the Vietnam War from January of 1967 until January of 1968, where he received a Purple Heart. Following that, he worked in the military police. James worked as an Ultrasonic Technician for Republic Steel from the late 1960's until 2003. During this time, he volunteered as a Boy Scout Leader for many years.

From then until 2020, James lived in Florida with his wife, Rita. He worked as a maintenance man for Westminster Oaks Retirement Community. He loved visiting St. Mark's Wildlife Refuge and taking pictures of the wildlife, especially alligators.

James enjoyed retirement in Massillon, further developing his photography skill and spending his free time fishing. Time with family was the most important for James, never leaving his wife's side and spoiling his grandkids. He was a prankster at heart, often engaging in whipped cream fights with unsuspecting family members.

James is survived by his loving wife, Rita, of 62 years; children, James "Jimmy" (Susan) Griffith, Holly (Christopher) Shiposh, and Kimberly (Patrick) Bartlett; grandchildren, Jade (Jamie) Howell, Drew, Jacob, Ethan, and Angelina Griffith; Christopher Jr. and Tyler Shiposh; Kameron and Kaitlyn Long; Landon and Jaden (Victoria) Rambo; and Alyssa (Jalin) Stinson; great-grandchildren Mia, Harlow, and Alaiya; as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

In addition to his parents, James is preceded in death by his siblings, Shirley Lintner, Peggy Villard, Ronnie Pritchard, and John Griffith.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 8, 2026 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Paquelet & Arnold-Lynch Funeral Home, Massillon, Ohio. Funeral services will follow immediately starting at 3:00 PM.

To share a memory of James or leave a special message for his family, please visit the guestbook below.