Griffin , Mary Roland

Dr. Mary Roland Griffin died at the Hospice and Community Care House in Rock Hill, SC on Monday, January 3, 2011. Born in Florence, SC, June 3, 1929, she was the daughter of the late Mary Till and Roland Cecil Griffin. She was a graduate of Florence High School and Winthrop College. At Winthrop she was an outstanding student athlete in hockey, softball, basketball and tennis. In her senior year she was the recipient of the Hellams Award given to the most outstanding physical education major, President of the Athletic Association, and a member of Senior Order. She earned a Masters and a Doctorate degree in Physical Education from Louisiana State University. She taught in the public schools of South Carolina and at Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, VA. She returned to Winthrop in 1966 to assume a faculty position in the physical education department and later became Head Women‘s Basketball Coach. Her teams in the early 1970‘s were highly successful racking up the program‘s highest winning percentage, a record that still stands. She became Winthrop‘s first athletics director in 1970. With the addition of men‘s intercollegiate teams, Winthrop affiliated with the NAIA and Dr. Griffin was the only female athletics director in that group. She retired in 1994 at which time she was Chairman of the Department of Health and Physical Education. She served in numerous leadership roles at Winthrop including Chair of the Graduate Faculty and Faculty Marshall. The University recognized her outstanding leadership in initiating its co-educational intercollegiate athletic program by naming her Athletics Director Emerita in 2000. Dr. Griffin‘s life and career were dedicated to promoting opportunities for girls and women in sports. Her achievements in that endeavor are well documented and recognized. She served as National President of the Officiating Services Association/Division of Girls‘ and Women‘s Sport as well as South Carolina and Regional President and National Board Member of the Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. She was awarded the South Carolina Commission on Women Pioneer Award, National Association for Girls and Women in Sports Pathfinder and Honor Fellow Awards, Winthrop Distinguished Alumna in Physical Education Award and inducted into the inaugural class of the Winthrop Athletic Hall of Fame. She was a member of St. John‘s United Methodist Church in Rock Hill where she served on the Administrative Council and was active in the United Methodist Women. Her love of Winthrop University and her devotion to the field of physical education were only exceeded by her love of family and friends. She is survived by long-time companion Dr. Bert Bobb of Rock Hill; a brother Dr. Sidney Till Griffin (Faye) of Lamar; a sister Jacque Way (Eddie) of Pawley‘s Island; nieces Dr. Sarah Griffin (Greg Linke) of Anderson and Lucia G. Miles (David) of Charleston; nephews Austin Way of Pawley‘s Island and Stephen Way (Gwen) of Garland, Texas; Great-nephews Griffin and Luke Miles and Andrew Linke; Great-niece Caitlyn Way and her special friends of the Monday Night Supper Club. Graveside services will be held at Mount Hope Cemetery in Florence, SC at 2:00 PM on Thursday, January 6, 2011. A service celebrating her life will be held on Friday, January 21, 2011, at 3:30 PM at the West Physical Education Center on the Winthrop Campus. Memorials can be made to the Winthrop University Foundation, 638 Oakland Ave. Rock Hill, SC 29733, designated to the Mary Roland Griffin Graduate Scholarship Fund.