Gladys Robertson Griffin “a force of nature” died peacefully October 17, 2026, in Scranton, PA. She was 103. She lived and died a Christian.

Born in Tullahoma, TN, June 7, 1923, the fourth of eleven children to Caleb & Gertrude (nee Hyde) Robertson.

A 1942 graduate of Tullahoma High School, and member of the Tennessee State Debate Championship Team. Post graduation Gladys attended the prestigious Northfield School for Girls, a premier Christian liberal arts & college prep school known for its student pipeline to Wellesley College. Benefactors, a maternal uncle and aunt.

At the height of WWII Gladys launched her Western Union communications career, with assignments to The Manhattan Project, Oak Ridge, TN, and Ft Lauderdale, FL, a military hub where she met her future husband of 54 years Wallace Griffin, US NAVY, also one of 11 children. They built their lives and family in Ft Lauderdale.

Gladys enjoyed a 30-year career with Western Union (WU), then the communications backbone of

the world. During WWII she executed countless US War Dept Telegrams … “Regret to inform you” .., the reality of war was ever-present. Particularly with two brothers, her future husband and 3 of his brothers in military service. She was a career woman in advance of her time. Her career success afforded her and her family experiences at special events of those years; US political conventions, MLB Spring Training, NFL Super Bowls, etc. where she managed “sending press” for the event’s media coverage.

Gladys retired from Western Union and began a second career with Ft Lauderdale’s, Broward County Comptroller’s Office, 17 years. She and Wallace then retired “back home” to Tullahoma, TN and later lived in SC and NC.

Gladys & Wallace were founding members of First Baptist Church of Oakland Park, FL. She, the last living Founding Member. They were active in church; Sunday School teachers, Training Union leaders, choir, financial leadership, etc.

Constant learning and hard work across business, community, family, church, politics, and artistic design were cornerstones of her life. She was an American Patriot and a “Daughter of the American Revolution” (DAR) Member. Gladys was an active and successful stock market investor until the last years of her life. She relocated from FL to Buck Hill Falls, PA spring 2025 with her daughter and son-in-law who fashioned their home’s third floor living suite, where she enjoyed the panoramic views of the Pocono Mountains from her den.

Gladys is preceded in death by her parents, and 9 of 10 siblings, her beloved husband Wallace C. Griffin, 2000, and son, David W. Griffin, 2009. She is survived by her daughter, Kathryn Griffin, her husband Patrick J. Cullen, also 1 of 11 children and “the best son-in-law ever” of Buck Hill Falls, PA, and Chevy Chase, DC, and their sons Patrick S. and Timothy J. Cullen (Erika) and great-grandson, J. Cormac Cullen, all of Washington, DC. Her only remaining sibling, Joann Robertson Woodson, Nashville, TN and 60+ nieces and nephews from the Robertson & Griffin families. The large Cullen Family of Chevy Chase, MD & WDC warmly welcomed Gladys into their family, holidays, celebrations, and Lake Ariel, PA lake houses, where she last visited in summer 2025, were much loved and “a certain blessing.”

A staple of The Greatest Generation, Gladys was smart, driven, held a strong work ethic, loved fiercely, and was loved by many, and had ‘no reverse gear.’ She never smoked, drank, always slim and required only 4-5 hours’ sleep a night for most of her life …”Too much to do!”

Funeral services were held on Friday, October 23, 2026, at Kraeer Funeral Home & Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens, Pompano Beach, FL, with the Rev. Jim Letizia officiating.

In lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the WWII Memorial: https://www.wwiimemorialfriends.org/ways-to-give or the C.S. Lewis aligned Fellowship for the Performing Arts (FPA): Fellowship for Performing Arts Support Family Portal.