I first heard of Gail Griffith through my UU minister in Oberlin, OH.  I was getting ready to move to the U.P., and Rev. Mary Grigolia had met Gail and Kathy McLean, lay leaders for the Marquette congregation, at a conference. Mary shared with me that I could look forward to meeting these two fine women, and she was so right.  The first year I was in Marquette we had a great time traveling together to Appleton for a UU District conference and brainstorming ideas for the coming year.

A few years later Gail proposed an Action of Immediate Witness on “Depleted Uranium Munitions” to the entire UUA General Assembly in Boston.  It passed and many UU’s went on to support studies related to the issue of depleted uranium, which is known to cause serious health-related and environmental problems well beyond times of war.

Gail and I roomed together at GA in St. Louis where she was delighted to meet up with a former MqtUU student minister, sign on to Humanist Manifesto III, and partake in the program/dinner of UU’s for Justice in the Middle East, supporting Palestinian rights.

Gail was a peace activist whom you could see consistently in front of the Marquette P.O. for years on Saturday mornings, having carried extra signs in her car for those like-minded folks who may have joined empty-handed.  I also recall a demonstration in the snow with her in front of Walmart against gun violence following Sandy Hook.

Gail was a founding member of our MqtUU Congregation with her late husband, Tom Griffith, who also passed away this year.  Together they were NMU professors of chemistry.  Gail was also a founding member of our MqtUU Social Action Committee.  She brought issues to our awareness and supported others.

Gail was a founder of the Womens Center in Marquette and supported our fundraisers for them.

She was an environmental activist representing MqtUU’s with EarthKeepers and helping with city-wide recycling programs.  Sari Embley memorialized Gail saying, “I so wanted to tell her of all the Blazing Star flowers that she planted 10 years ago picked this summer which have bloomed all over the UU property. I forgot on my visit, so I’m telling all of you. She was an original member of the MqtUU Green Team and gave generously of her time and money every year. She was little but more than pulled her weight of purple Knapweed.  This spring let’s pull her share of the invasives and leave more room for wild flowers she loved. I’m going to miss your sweet smile Lady.”

Of course, we may all know her most as the loving mother of MqtUU member, Lindsay Griffith.  She is also survived by daughters, Leslie and Lauren, and their families.  Our condolences, love and support go out to all of them.

As Coordinator of Music for the MqtUU’s, I would hear from Gail about her favorite music which included Sibelius’s Finlandia with the “This is My Song” lyrics, peacemaker with Finnish roots, she was! She also loved “Blue Boat Home.”  May she be carried so gently now, as was her style, returning to the earth.

With deep gratitude for her friendship, her smiles, and commitment to social justice issues – Barb Michael