Quince Orchard and Churchill Communities Celebrate Griff (PHOTOS)

It was an old fashioned Irish wake in a contemporary British styled pub. Beer flowed, food overwhelmed the tables, and the bourbon salute to a life well lived fulfilled “Griff’s” wish for a celebration rather than a church service for his friends and family. Over 250 gathered this past Saturday, at Union Jacks Gaithersburg Rio location for a closed-door private celebration of friends and family of Coach David Griffin. Even the owner was an old high school friend of Griff.

Those that gathered knew Griff from his days at Churchill High School, from William and Mary, from law school in Baltimore at the University of Maryland, from his days at the Potomac Boys Club, to 1-270 Basketball, and finally to the Quince Orchard community that was home for him on the courtside. His family from Potomac and his close relatives listened as well as spoke of Dave in loving terms and remembered him in a gospel psalm.

There were tears, not as many as you may suspect since this was a celebration crafted by his good friends, mentors, players/charges, coaches from the local basketball fraternity that all shared stories and poems specifically for and about Griff.

On Union Jacks band stand many recalled his broad smile and that signature booming voice. Others spoke of his spirit that hovered nearby in recent days amongst his friends in Philadelphia and while driving around the DMV. As they talked, a slideshow program of his life played out on the stage screen as a backdrop to the day. It was uncanny how at moments during some of these remembrances that his image and smiling face broadcasted down on top of the speaker.

The day was specifically poignant for those Quince Orchard basketball players who were home grown examples of Griff’s love of the game. The students now grown came back to honor their teacher. And they did by gathering on and around the stage – well over 75 players – including those who played with Griff at Churchill or football at William and Mary.

In the end Griff’s favorite bourbon was poured and passed among the crowd. Those that chose to lifted their shot glass high and…

Here’s to you Griff!

Photos follow

About Phil Fabrizio

Phil Fabrizio is an event, news and sports photographer in the Washington D.C. Metro area. He lives in North Potomac and has operated Sugarloaf Photography since 1985. He is a member of the Gaithersburg-Germantown Chamber of Commerce and serves on the board of the Glen Echo Partnership for Arts and Culture, Inc in Glen Echo. Stop by Phil's PhotoLoaf site or follow him on Twitter @Photoloaf. Find Phil's blog on MyMCMedia here.

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