Adeline Burdine Lindsey Griffith graduated to heaven on Nov. 6, 2020, after several years of declining health. She was 88.
Adeline was born April 15, 1932, in Dallas, Texas, to the late Guy Howard Lindsey and Thelma Bliss Lindsey. She graduated from Pine Bluff High School in 1949 before attending college in Arkansas and then Tennessee. She obtained her bachelor of arts from Tennessee Temple in Chattanooga. She met her former husband, Gene Griffith, at Tennessee Temple. They married in
1955.
Adeline then went on to develop a long and successful career in music and book publishing. She got her start in the business world by creating her own company, Griffith Secretarial Service, in 1967 in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. She and her two children, Michelle and Kevin, then moved to Memphis, Tennessee, for Adeline to serve as executive assistant to traveling evangelists Ed and Bette
Stalnecker. In 1969, she joined Word Inc., a Christian publisher, as assistant to the advertising director. Adeline then became secretary to Billy Ray Hearn in Word’s Myrrh Records division, which specialized in contemporary Christian music. She was promoted to assistant artist and repertoire (A&R) director for Myrrh Records and administrative assistant for Myrrh Music in late 1975.
Adeline worked with recording artists in that role, which she greatly enjoyed. In 1976, Hearn founded Sparrow Records in Canoga Park, California. Adeline moved to Southern California to work at Sparrow, which helped launch the careers of artists such as Andrae Crouch and Keith Green. Later she served as vice president of operations at Spirit Records in Beverly Hills, California.
Adeline moved to Flowery Branch, Georgia, and joined Christian Financial Concepts (CFC) in Gainesville in October 1990, working directly with founder Larry Burkett. Adeline edited a number of Burkett’s books during her time at CFC, from which she retired.
Adeline was preceded in death by her parents as well as a daughter, Melinda Lee Griffith, and brothers Phil Lindsey and Paul Lindsey.
Survivors include daughter Michelle Mathis and son Kevin Griffith (Lorrie); grandchildren Alexis Hartis (Gabriel), Win Griffith (Kathleen) and Asher Griffith (Grace); and great-grandchildren Bryce Hartis and Kali Hartis. Adeline also is survived by sisters-in-law Marilyn Lindsey and Carolyn Lindsey as well as nieces, nephew, great-nieces and great-nephews.
A celebration of life service will be held Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, at 4 p.m. in the chapel of Little & Davenport Funeral Home. Rev. Mike Taylor will officiate. The family will receive friends Sunday, Nov. 15, from 2 p.m. until the funeral hour.
In lieu of flowers the family has asked that memorial contributions be made to PruittCares Hospice Foundation, 1626 Jeurgens Court, Norcross, GA 30093 in memory of Mrs. Griffith.
For those who are not able to attend the services, they will be live streamed at https://vimeo.com/476659370
Those wishing to send online condolences to the family may do so at littledavenport.com
Little & Davenport Funeral Home and Crematory, 355 Dawsonville Highway, SW, Gainesville, Georgia 30501 is in charge of arrangements.
