Bill F. Griffith
An Eagle Nest summer fixture for more than two decades

EAGLE NEST — Bill F. Griffith, 89, passed away Tuesday, April 15 in Dallas, Texas. He was born in Salado, Texas, and served as a member of the U.S. Army during World War II, stationed in San Diego, Calif.
In 1943 Griffith married Marion Loretta Cullum, and the two spent their 64 1/2 years of married life in Dallas, where he was Vice President of Cullum Construction Company.
Bill was active in the Boy Scouts of America, and earned his Wood Badge award as an adult leader. His service in the Downtown Dallas Rotary Club included 44 years of perfect attendance. He was awarded Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellow Award, and served as the Dallas Club president from 1985-86. Bill was an active member of the Oak Lawn United Methodist Church for over 60 years, and was an avid supporter of SMU.
Although Bill had traveled the world over, his favorite place on earth was the front porch of his cabin home in Eagle Nest, New Mexico, where he enjoyed sharing “God’s Country” with friends from all over the world. He was fortunate to have been able to enjoy the Moreno Valley and the family’s cabin home in Lakeview Pines for nearly 60 years. Bill and Marion were featured in a 1998 Sangre de Cristo Chronicle article, which described how their cabin had become the meeting place for many treasured friends in the valley, especially friends from Lakeview Pines and El Renzo Ranch. For over 20 years following retirement, Bill and Marion spent several months each year at their mountain cabin, usually from May to October.
Watching the fireworks over the lake on the Fourth of July from the cabin deck and roasting hot dogs and marshmallows at the “Weenie Pit” became a tradition over the years for their many mountain friends and guests. Bill could often be seen driving “Mt. Limo,” his yellow jeep, and he loved all the outdoor adventures the mountains offered. A favorite pastime was the “golf cart safari,” when Bill and Marion took their golf cart, “Mt. Limo, Jr.,” and joined others from the area to look for animals before dusk.
Whenever he was at their mountain home, he attended either the Taos or Angel Fire Rotary Club meetings, and was active in the outdoor church at Idlewild, where both he and Marion sang in the “Heavenly Choir.” In 2002 Bill and Marion were the Grand Marshals for the Eagle Nest Fourth of July Parade.
In addition to his wife, Marion, Bill is survived by son Steve and his wife Helen, son Neal and wife Judy, Dallas, and his daughter Jean and her husband John Budd, Tulsa, Okla. He is also survived by three grandchildren, Karie Griffith Helt and husband Marcus of Dallas, Travis and Taylor Budd of Tulsa, as well as two great-grandchildren, Hannah and Emma Helt.
His memorial service was held April 18 at Oak Lawn United Methodist Church, with burial at Hillcrest Memorial Cemetery in Dallas. Memorials may be given to the Rotary Club of Angel Fire, the outdoor church at Idlewild, or the Eagle Nest Fourth of July celebration.

 

Mort York
Oct. 2, 1952 — Feb. 21, 2008
Memorial on May 17

EAGLE NEST — Friends of Mort (Michael) York are invited to attend a memorial service at the Elizabethtown Cemetery Saturday, May 17 at 2:00 p.m. There will be a gathering of friends following the memorial service in the Laguna Vista Courtyard in Eagle Nest.
York died February 21, 2008 in Albuquerque. He was 55.
Born in Corinth, NY, October 2, 1952, Mort was the son of Milton and Catherine (Flynn) York. He was a graduate of Corinth Central School.
Mort was always a “free spirit” who found happiness in Eagle Nest. He had a way of expressing his “life experiences” that made everyone laugh.
He worked for a variety of contractors, framing and roofing homes in Angel Fire, Taos and Red River. He was an avid outdoorsman, and living in the shadow of Wheeler Peak brought him much enjoyment.
Mort is survived by his mother and father; his sister, Mary Butler and her husband John (Pedro); his brother Charles (Carlos) York; his niece, Heather York; his nephew, Chad York and his wife, Tara, and their children, Grace Katherine and Ethan Charles.