Robert M Griffin

Robert Maso Griffin ("Maso"), 95, passed away at home on February 25, 2021, with his wife of 51 years, Ethelda Griffin ("Frog"), by his side. Maso was a man who loved God and was devoted to loving and providing for his family. With his benevolence, grit, intelligence, blunt sense of humor, and charisma, he brightened the lives of everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. Maso would always say, "life is what you make it, make it good," and he did just that (and he has thousands of pictures to prove it). Maso was born on September 2, 1925 in St. Louis, Missouri to the proud parents of James and Mary Griffin. He was the second oldest of five children. As a child, Maso and his family attended Prince of Peace Baptist Church, where he was baptized and gave his life to the Lord. Maso's mother instilled the fear of the Lord in him and his siblings early in life, and he did the same for his children. Maso attended Sumner High School in St. Louis, the first high school for black students west of the Mississippi River. At a young age, Maso developed a drive to provide and support his family. At 15, he began working at a local car lot to earn money and help his mother with their family. Shortly after, Maso learned the business of running a car lot and dropped out of school to pursue his dream of opening his own car lot business. During this time, Maso found more success in another area of his life - love. In 1948, Maso married his first wife, Dorothy, in St. Louis, MO, and together they have six children. In 1958, at the age of 33, Maso moved to Los Angeles, CA, alongside Ike and Tina Turner to work as the Turners' manager. He and the Turners stayed at the Dunbar Hotel on Central and Vernon Avenue as they waited for their big break in Los Angeles. Using his charism, street smarts, and business savviness, Maso would quickly find success in Los Angeles over the coming decades. His love and passion for his family, cars, real estate, and money traveled with him from St. Louis to the West Coast, which drove him to own multiple used car lots and homes throughout Los Angeles. While Masos dream of working in the entertainment industry was put on a pause to care for his family, he never stopped working to create his legacy. Maso was very wise and knew how to make money. He was always the man with a plan. Between spending time with his children, road trips to and from St. Louis, and his multiple money-making ventures, Maso still found time to find the liveliest places in town, which led him to Frog. In June of 1968, Maso met his second wife, the Bonnie-to-his Clyde, and life-long best friend, Frog, at Club La Rogue in Los Angeles. In true Maso fashion, he quickly knew that a life with Frog was a passion worth pursuing, and he turned on his full charm. He and Frog married shortly after on May 23, 1969. Together they have seven children. In 1971, Frog and Maso settled and planted roots on 78th and Hoover in South Central Los Angeles, which would become the home that defined the second half of Maso's life. Maso and Frog spent the next three decades raising their family in their home, affectionately known as 78th. Though Maso and Frog separated after 32 years of marriage, they remained best friends and seen each other nearly every day. Maso was always present, engaged, and focused on the success of his children, who were the jewels in his crown. He always did everything he could to make his children happy. Maso was there every day to pick his kids up from school, take them to practice, and support them in any and every way needed. In 2017, Maso was diagnosed with Dementia. Shortly after, Frog retired so she could care for Maso full-time. Maso spent his last years going on vacations, his favorite being his and Frog's 2018 trip to St. Louis for his 93rd birthday. Maso also enjoyed looking through all the pictures he had taken over the years, talking on the phone with his children (he always made it a point to tell everyone he was going to move back to St. Louis soon). From joking with Frog and never letting her forget that they were still married, to recalling vacations and special days with his family, to singing and dancing to Aretha Franklin songs on holidays, Maso did not let Dementia take away any of the special memories and moments he spent his life building. He made it a point to make sure his family knew he remembered them and everything they accomplished over the years. Most importantly, Maso wanted his family to remember that he loved them very much. Maso was a phenomenal man. He will be remembered for his devotion to his greatest passions: God, his family, his legacy, and his pictures. Left to cherish his memory is his wife Ethelda Griffin and their children Mia Griffin, Robert C. Griffin, Dominique Griffin, Maso Griffin, Mary Griffin and Fallon Griffin; his children Peter Griffin, Eric Griffin, Brenda Porter-Gilmore, Baron Griffin, Michael Griffin, Randy Griffin, Sheena Bellinger, Robert M. Griffin, Joyce Griffin, Cheryl Griffin, Cynthia Griffin, Mark Griffin, and Keisha Griffin; his brother James Lee; his sister Catherine Harris and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, family and friends. His sons Mack Griffin and Robert M. Griffin ("Bobby") and his daughter Grace Griffin preceded him in death. Service Thomas Miller Mortuary 1118 East Sixth Street Corona, CA 92879 (951) 737-3244 | Friday 3/26, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Cemetery Hollywood Forever Cemetery 6000 Santa Monica Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90038 Friday 3/26, 1:00 pm