Published: November 08, 2009 12:18 am         

Sergeant Dale Russel Griffin

Sergeant Dale Russel Griffin, 29, of Terre Haute, passed away Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009, while serving in the Arghandab Valley in Afghanistan. He was born in Fort Wayne, Ind., on Aug. 16, 1980, to Gene Griffin and Dona Lichtenwalter Griffin. He was a 1999 graduate of Terre Haute South Vigo High School, where he was the captain of the wrestling team, captain of the football team and also a member of Terre Haute South Show Choir. He received a full scholarship and attended Virginia Military Institute. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in January 2005, where he later served in the 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment, 5th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, out of Fort Lewis, Wash. He was certified as a Stryker Vehicle Commander. During his military career, he completed many courses including, Combat Life Saver, Combatives Level 1, Warrior Leader CRS, and graduated Jump School (Airborne). While in Fort Lewis, Sgt. Griffin studied Arabic for ten months and Pashto for two months in the Language Enabled Soldier Program (LES). The Director of the Foreign Language Training Center said, “He was a serious student of language and culture. He was intellectually curious and worked diligently in his language training. He was a quiet leader in the class; a role model for his fellow soldiers”. Sgt. Griffin was currently completing his degree in finance at St. Martin’s University in Seattle.

Sgt. Griffin was preceded in death by his sister, Taylor Griffin; two grandfathers, Earl Griffin and Lt. Col. Gene Lichtenwalter; and one grandmother, Louise Lichtenwalter. He is survived by his parents; two brothers, Blake Griffin and Clint Griffin and his wife Melissa, all of Terre Haute; one sister, Cali Griffin-Luckett of Terre Haute; grandmother, Reba Griffin of New Bern, N.C.; an aunt, Laura Hamilton of New Bern; three aunts and their husbands, Nan Barker and her husband Gary of Bridgeton, N.C., Kim Williams and her husband Buddy of Maysville, N.C., and Michelle Webber and her husband Kevin of New Bern; one niece, Nyah Luckett; four nephews, Nigel Luckett, Elijah Griffin, Jackson Griffin and Alexander Griffin; several cousins; and many friends.

Services will be 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009, at Terre Haute South Vigo High School, 3737 S. 7th St., in Terre Haute, with Bishop Chris Newton officiating. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1845 N. 6 1/2 St., Terre Haute, (One block north of Union Hospital). Burial will be in Highland Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Dale’s honor to, The Dale Russel Griffin Memorial Fund at Wabash Valley Community Foundation, 2901 Ohio St., Terre Haute, IN 47803, or at any branch of First Financial Bank. Greiner Funeral Home, 2005 North 13th Street, is in charge of local arrangements.