Thomas Griffith, II passed away on Friday, January 17, 2025, following a courageous three-year battle with a rare and incurable form of cancer. He was 85 years old.
Tom is survived by his devoted wife of 58 years, Marion Griffith, of Princeton, NJ; his son, Bob Griffith, of Lookout Mountain, TN; his daughter, Katie Griffith, and son-in-law, Ben Francis, of Gorham, ME; and his cherished grandchildren, Luke and Sophia Francis. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bob and Louise (Chamberlain) Griffith of Lookout Mountain, TN; his brothers, Doug and infant Morrow; and his infant daughter, Mary Elizabeth.
Born and raised in Tennessee, Tom was a proud graduate of Woodberry Forest School (VA), the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and Indiana University. At UNC, he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity and played on the varsity soccer team.
Following graduate school, Tom dedicated over 50 years of his life to coaching soccer, impacting countless players. His coaching career included positions at the University of the South, the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay, Dartmouth College, Princeton University, Princeton Day School, and George School (PA). He served as the first soccer coach at the University of the South and the second coach for both the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay men’s team and Princeton University’s women’s team.
Tom was proud to have been part of the Olympic Development Program and a coach for the inaugural United States Under-19 Women’s National Team. He also coached men’s and boy’s lacrosse for over 30 years, and received coaching honors in both sports. His achievements include multiple “Coach of the Year” awards at the collegiate level, along with commendations from the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.
Beyond coaching, Tom found joy in all types of sports and music and was a lifelong, devoted supporter of Liverpool FC. An advocate for animal welfare, he volunteered extensively with animal transportation efforts, completing nearly 100 rescue transports to help give dogs a chance at better lives.
Tom’s legacy is one of kindness, mentorship, and unwavering love for his family, friends, players, and the causes he championed.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Tom’s memory to an animal shelter of your choice.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, January 31, 2025, at Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 East Brainerd Road, Chattanooga, TN, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., followed by a graveside service at Forest Hills Cemetery at 2 p.m.
