— Loren Elijah Griffith, 88, life-long Amboy resident, died on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24th, 2012, surrounded by family at the Mapleton Community Home, Mapleton, MN.  Funeral services will be held on Sunday, December 30, 2012, at 2:00pm, visitation will be from 12:00-2:00pm at the

 Amboy United Methodist Church. Inurnment will take place at the Vernon Center City Cemetery.  Zaharia Family Funeral & Cremation Service is in charge of arrangements.

  Loren Elijah Griffith was born on Easter Sunday, April 20, 1924, at his home in Amboy, the tenth child of Elijah and Mary (Bernard) Griffith.  He was baptized and confirmed at the United Methodist Church in Amboy, where he continued his membership until his death.  He attended school at Amboy High School and graduated in 1942.  He farmed with his family on the Griffith Farm north of Amboy, then he took over all the farming duties.  He married Genevieve Phipps on Aug 10, 1946, and they lived in the family farmhouse.  They were blessed with 2 children, William and Catherine.  Loren's true love was music, as after graduation he began playing trumpet with several bands that played Big Band Music.  He played for the Blue Raven's, Don Deane Orchestra, the Merrimakers, Andy Lawrence Band, Erv Reutzel Orchestra, Amboy Band concerts in the park, the Bethany Band and with the Lake Crystal Community Band.  He was known as the "Silver Trumpet."

  Loren was active in the church, serving on several boards, the church choir, the Singing Waiters, sang with the Amboy Community Choir, and served on the Shelby township board, drove snow plow, measured fields for the FSA office, custom combined for neighbors, and attended many of his children's and grandchildren's events.

   Loren and his nephews and several family members took many motorcycle vacations to various states and points of interest.  Loren and Genevieve logged many quiet hours together on their Honda Interstate visiting family and friends and restaurants!  They enjoyed time with brothers and sisters and often all went on vacations together, or played cards, or just got together to eat.  Genevieve died March 13, 1988, and Loren spent many hours alone on the motorcycle until his accident in August of 1989, which left him in a wheelchair.  He then moved from the house he was born in to an apartment in Amboy and then entered Mapleton Community Home in 2007.  Now Loren is free from his wheelchair and is playing his trumpet for the Lord!

  Loren is survived by one son William Griffith of Indianola, Iowa; one daughter Catherine (Myron) Kietzer of Vernon Center; five grandsons, William Jr., Bryan, Nicholas (Heidi Jo) Griffith, Jesse (Charity Hunt) Kietzer and Jordan Kietzer, and two granddaughters Holly (James) Wallace, and Abbie Kietzer and special friend Jon Rusert; nine great grandchildren; one sister-in-law Better Griffith of Snellville, GA; many nieces and nephews and their families.     He was preceded in death by his parents,; his wife, Genevieve, five sisters, Nelda, Ila, Ines, Grace and Doris Rambo, and four brothers, Arthur, Ivan, Harold, and Marvin, one sister-in-law Dorothy Griffith and one brother-in-law Alan Rambo.