Melvin Gene Griffey, Jr.

Melvin Gene Griffey, Jr., 57, of Lynn, formerly of Jonesboro, passed away Wednesday, October 14, 2015, at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House in Jonesboro.

Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Gene lived several years in Los Angeles, California, where he attended elementary school before moving to Jonesboro in 1970. He was a 1975 graduate of Jonesboro High School and attended Arkansas State University. He was an independent insurance agent for 40 years and was the owner of Griffey Insurance Agency, LLC, of Jonesboro. Gene has been a resident of Lynn for 20 years. He loved living in Lynn and raising Black Angus cattle and driving black sports cars.

Gene was of the Baptist faith and was baptized in the early 1970s by his uncle Byron Griffey. He received numerous top insurance sales and production awards including Arkansas Agent of the Year by Equity Insurance. Gene was a 35-year member of Independent Insurance Agencies Association and was a past member of the Greater Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce. Gene was preceded in death by his father, Melvin Gene Griffey, Sr.

Survivors include his wife, Tammy Durham Griffey of the home;
mother, Mary Griffey of Jonesboro;
brother and sister-in-law: Barry and Kim Griffey of Fayetteville;
sister, Debbie Griffey of Dallas, Texas; and
father-in-law and mother-in-law: Max and Regina Durham of Lynn.

Graveside funeral services will be held Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in Smithville Cemetery with Rev. Doug Welborn officiating.

Active pallbearers include: Nelson Oakley, Dan Purnell, John Stump, Charlie Harris, Waylon Deen and Sam Barnett. Honorary pallbearers include Lon Bateman, Millis Griffey, Byron Griffey and Mark Griffey.

Visitation will be held Saturday from 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. at Emerson Funeral Home.

The family wishes to extend a special thanks to Dr. Ron Blachly, Dr. Carroll Scroggins and the staff of Fowler Family Center for Cancer Care as well as Dr. Bruce Jones and the professional staff of the Fifth Floor at NEA Baptist Medical Center.

For lasting memorials, the family asks that consideration be given to the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House, 400 East St., Jonesboro, AR 72401; or NEA Baptist Clinic Fowler Family Center for Cancer Care, 4808 E. Johnson Ave., Jonesboro, AR 72401.