Frances Arlene Ogg Griffin

Frances Arlene Ogg Griffin, age 80, of Meeteetse, Wyo., passed away Dec. 1, 2022, at Spirit Mountain Hospice House in Cody at 5:30 a.m.

Arlene was born in Worland, Wyo., to James John (Jim) Ogg and Iris Maria Beaver Ogg. She started school in Greybull, but because of her father’s jobs she also went to school in Shell, Meeteetse, Hyattville, Manderson, back to Greybull and graduated eighth grade from Cody. Then to Meeteetse for high school for 2 ½ years and back to Greybull to finish 11th grade. 

Arlene married Daniel Vern Griffin on Aug. 22, 1960, in Greybull at the First Baptist Church. They lived in Cody where she worked at the A&W Drive-In until they moved to the Depue Cattle Company on Wood River above Meeteetse. Arlene worked as a cook at Young’s Café, the Meeteetse school, Wood River Lodge and managed the Club Café, and she clerked at the Meeteetse Mercantile for eight years. In September of 1989, she became a United States Mail Contractor and delivered mail from Meeteetse to Burlington, and up Wood River and to the Pitchfork Ranch out of Meeteetse until March 31, 2015.

Arlene loved to play the piano and sometimes the organ at many weddings, funerals, and church services. She was a school accompanist for choir and band solos starting in 1956 until 2007. She played the dinner music for the Big Horn REA annual meeting for 10 years. Arlene enjoyed embroidery work on pillowcases and dish towels for wedding and birthday gifts. Her grandchildren and some great-grandchildren have blankets that she embroidered or tied. Her pastimes were playing the piano, reading, going camping, boating, and fishing on long holiday weekends with anywhere from 16 to 50 family members and friends. Playing cards with family and friends brought great joy to her life.

Arlene was always the first to step up and help anyone in need, including her mom and step-dad, her father-in-law and his wife, her dad, and friends as they got older and needed a little assistance.

Arlene and Dan raised five children: daughters Iris (Greg) Freeck of Billings, Mont.; Evelyn (Randy) Wilkinson of Weatherford, Texas; Cindy (Joel) Clymore of Riverton, and sons Lawrence (Cammy) Griffin of Shell and Allen (Katie) Griffin of Powell.

She is survived by her husband Dan, their five children and spouses, 12 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren; sister-in-law Dolores Ogg of Greybull, step-brother Alvin (Karen) McCreery of Cody, step-sister Trula McCreery Hefley of Anchorage, Alaska, and numerous nieces, nephews and other relations. 

She is preceded in death by her parents Iris Maria Ogg McCreery and James John (Jim) Ogg, step-father Loren Leo (Pete) McCreery, brother Harold James Ogg, niece Gail Ogg Rossing, and grandson Drayton Griffin.

Services will be conducted by Father Tom Ogg at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 9 at the St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, 1116 Park Ave., Meeteetse. Burial will be at the Meeteetse Cemetery with a luncheon to follow at the church. An online guestbook is available at www.BallardFH.com

In lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations to Spirit Mountain Hospice House at 808 Canyon View Ave., Cody, WY 82414,