Gail D. Griffith, 84, of Marquette, passed away Monday morning, October 22, 2018 at U.P. Health System-Marquette. Gail was born on March 16, 1934 in Detroit, the only child of Clarence E. and Celia D. (Maki) Brown. She was a graduate of Centerline High School and received her undergraduate degree in Medical Technology from Michigan Tech University, ultimately receiving a PhD in Chemistry in 1961 from Michigan State University.
She spent much of her childhood in Hancock, MI where she… Read More » developed a deep love of the UP and the Great Lakes. Gail and her late husband, Thomas, were both professors in the Department of Chemistry at Northern Michigan University from 1962-1993. She taught chemistry to several generations of nursing students as well as to NMU undergraduates and developed a curriculum in environmental and occupational hygiene.
Gail’s research interests spanned basic biochemistry and toxicology. She was an EPA fellow at MIT in 1980 and she later spent a sabbatical year at Michigan State University doing research on bacterial metabolism of chlorobenzoates, an important class of environmental pollutants. During her retirement Gail enjoyed agate collecting, gardening, travelling, and spending time with her grandchildren.
She was also very active in various environmental and political causes. In 2014 she received the Fred Rydholm Sisu Award from Save the Wild UP for her work in promoting environmental responsibility. She served on the Michigan Toxic Substances Control Commission, K.I. Sawyer Restoration Advisory Board, Marquette Board of Light and Power and Marquette County Solid Waste Management Authority.
She was a member of Sigma XI, the American Association of University Women, the League of Women Voters, and was a founding member of the Marquette Unitarian Universalist congregation. She was the first executive director of the Women’s Center at NMU and later served on its board. Gail is survived by three children, Leslie (Eric Maskin) Griffith of Weston, MA, Lindsay Griffith of Marquette, and Lauren (Tim White) Griffith of Hamilton, Ontario; five grandchildren, Emma Griffith, Bennet Karel and Ian, Alexandra and Evan White.
Preceding her in death besides her parents was her husband, Thomas Griffith on May 21, 2018. The Griffith family will greet relatives and friends on Friday, January 4, 2019 in the Great Lakes Rooms of Northern Michigan University. The celebration of Gail’s life will begin at 1 p.m. with a reception.
At 3 p.m., there will be remembrances with her children Lauren, Lindsay and Leslie Griffith officiating. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Canale-Tonella Funeral Home. Those wishing to make an expression of sympathy are kindly asked to consider the United Way of Marquette County, the Women’s Center at NMU, the Chocolay Bayou Nature Preserve and the Yellow Dog Watershed Preserve.
The Griffith family encourages former students, family and friends to share memories and photos they have of Dr. Griffith on the Canale-Tonella Funeral Home website, canalefuneral.com.
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