AIKEN, SC - Gurvis Grat Riffe (“Grat”), 91 years of age died February 10, 2021 at his residence, Trinity on Laurens in Aiken, South Carolina. He was born in Omar, West Virginia, and then grew up in Hanover, West Virginia, the oldest son of Henry F. Riffe and Pearl Adams Riffe. He graduated from BaiIeysville High School in 1946, and via the GI Bill, graduated from Concord College in 1956 with a B.A. in Elementary Education, and Marshall University in 1957 with a M.A. degree in educational administration.
In 1950, Grat began his teaching career at Horsecreek Elementary School in Iaeger, WV before joining the U.S. Army in 1951. After being honorably discharged from the Army in 1954 where he received the Germany Occupation, Good Conduct, and National Defense Service medals, he completed his undergraduate work in 1956. He began his Taylor, Michigan teaching career at Edison Elementary School in 1957 and returned to the Army in 1958 for one year as a teacher for the Army Dependents Elementary School in Erlangen, Germany. Taylor then became the school district where he dedicated most of his career with a teaching post at Eureka Heights Elementary school, and principalship posts at Williams, Fischer, Monroe, and Wareing elementary schools. He concluded his Taylor career as the District Director of Elementary Instruction and retired in 1985. Post retirement, Grat served for a time as an auditor of the Detroit Public Schools.
Grat happily retired to Aiken, South Carolina with his wife of 38 + years, Dorothy Wisz Riffe in 1985 where he enjoyed the community and friends for many years. He is survived by Dorothy, his sister Wanda Riffe Lockhart, his two children Mary Elizabeth (husband Robert Hiss, grandchildren Griffith and his wife Kathryn, Elizabeth, and Eliot) and John Gregory (wife Debbie, grandchildren Sarah and Jessica).
He enjoyed the company of his friends, gardening, politics, was always current with the news, liked reading, driving a nice car, his dogs (Belvedere, Sidney, and Gretchen), family visits, and his vacation home in West Virginia.
Services will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to the non-profit Trinity on Laurens via their parent organization lutheranhomesscfoundation.org (800-756-9443).
SHELLHOUSE – RIVERS FUNERAL HOME, 715 EAST PINE LOG RD., AIKEN, SC
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