Charles Griffiths Hospital Board Obituary 1953

Obituary

THE LATE Mr. CHARLES GRIFFITHS, MEMBER OF OUR HOSPITAL BOARD.

The sudden passing of the late Mr. Charles Griffiths in the early hours of Monday, August 17th, 1953, as the result of a heart seizure, came as a great shock to us all. On the afternoon before his death he paid his usual Sunday visit to all the wards. Little did we know it was to be his last.

As a member of the Hospital Board from 1941 onwards, the late Mr. Griffiths was a staunch and devoted supporter of our Fallen Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital. From the beginning he took an intense interest in the welfare of patients and staff alike, and his advice and practical help will be missed more than we can say. Except for the few occasions in the year when he was away from Hastings, and the still more rare occasions when he was confined to his home, Mr. Griffiths never missed his weekly Sunday afternoon visit and his tour of all the wards. His warm, friendly handshake, his cheery smile and greeting for everyone, his words of encouragement and hope, gave comfort to all.

For him, membership of any organization to which he belonged— – and they were many – —meant far more than just attending meetings. He felt he had a responsibility to each organization and, through it, to the whole community. How cheerily he accepted those responsibilities, how faithfully he carried out the various duties he felt were his, is common knowledge.

After his last visit on that Sunday afternoon, one of our male patients was heard to say: “He radiates the Spirit of God.” The Rev. Alec Mitchell, during the funeral service in St. Andrew’s Church the following Wednesday morning, used much the same words: “Grif was a radiant man; he radiated the Spirit of God.” What finer or more fitting tribute could be paid to him?