RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, William Griffin, a decorated Chicago Police Department Detective, was called to eternal life on March 28; 2015, just weeks before his 90th birthday; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of his passing by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, William Griffin and his twin brother, Jack, were born on April 17,1925, to Chicago Patrol Officer John Griffin and his wife, Grace, in the Edgewater neighborhood; and
WHEREAS, Grace died giving birth and John passed away seven years later from injuries originally sustained in World War I; and
WHEREAS, The orphaned twins were taken in by their uncle, Chicago Police Officer Bill Griffin and his wife, Violet, and thereby avoided being sent to Angel Guardian Orphanage, where they would have been put up for adoption and separated; and
WHEREAS, The boys were raised by Bill and Violet Griffin in a loving household alongside the couple's three daughters; and
WHEREAS, William Griffin graduated from St. Ita's Grammar School and Senn High School before joining the United States Navy in 1943; and
WHEREAS, William Griffin served with distinction aboard the destroyer USS Hubbard which sank a German submarine during World War II; and
WHEREAS, Upon his discharge, William Griffin joined the Chicago Police Department, proudly following in the footsteps of his father, his uncles and his grandfather, who joined the force in 1888; and
WHEREAS, William Griffin served in Patrol and the Auto Inquiry Desk before being assigned in 1968 as a Detective to the Intelligence Division where he conducted surveillance on top organized crime figures and participated in raids on syndicate gambling parlors and other illegal businesses; and
WHEREAS, William Griffin and his loving wife, Reba, were blessed with a son, James, who became a Chicago Police Officer and retired from the force as a Lieutenant; and
WHEREAS, William Griffin was the cherished grandfather of Jennifer (Mark) Schane, James (Angela) Griffin, and Kimberly (Scott) Kendall and the caring great-grandfather of Jacqleen, Daniel, Jessica, Aiden, Connor, Colin, Grace, Riley, Mary, Brady, Samantha, and Cooper; and
WHEREAS, In retirement, William and Reba Griffin moved to Ocala, Florida where they were doting grandparents and he was later a loving great-grandparent; and
WHEREAS, William Griffin's life and career were models of integrity and love as he maintained strong relationships with family, fellow retired police officers and many friends; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council, assembled this fifteenth day of April, 2015, do hereby commemorate William Griffin for his brave service on behalf of the citizens of the City of Chicago and do hereby express our condolences to his family; and