Charles Henry Denston Griffin, II, more affectionately known as “Beanie” to his
family and friends, was born in Farmville, Virginia on August 15, 1956, the 5 th of
six children born to the late Rev. Dr. L. Francis Griffin, Sr. and the late Adelaide
Payne Griffin.
In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by his sister, Mignon
“Micki” Griffin and his daughter, Haley Simone Griffin.
Beanie attended the public schools in Prince Edward County, Virginia and
graduated from Prince Edward County High School in 1974. As a member of the
Eagles football team, he was fearless on the football field. He was known for his
great physical strength that he had developed through many hours of lifting
weights, and he showed great promise as a football player until he suffered a knee
injury that ended his football playing days. He also played the saxophone while in
high school and was a member of the Mighty Eagles Marching Band during the
months of the school year when he was not playing football. He later went on to
attend Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia where he studied
philosophy, played on the Men’s Rugby Club team, and enjoyed participating in
two of his favorite pastimes, playing chess and swimming.
Beanie left this earth for his heavenly home on July 9, 2024, leaving his family
with heavy hearts and a void in their lives. He will be greatly missed by his family
and all who knew him.
He will aways be remembered for his loving and generous spirit. He made the
tremendous sacrifice of becoming his mother’s caregiver after she became too ill to
live alone and care for herself, providing attentive and loving care for her in his
home in Richmond, Virginia for more than 8 years. Additionally, he was someone
who was always willing to share not only his money and resources with others, but
his time and talents as well. He will especially be remembered by his nieces and
nephews for the many things he taught them, the games that he played with them,
and the things that he shared with them, including his love of comic books.
Beanie loved to play chess; even when he could not find a partner to play chess
with, he would spend hours alone replaying the games of some of the world’s
greatest chess masters. He also had an impressive vocabulary which he loved to
use when playing Scrabble with anyone who dared to take him on; he especially
loved playing Scrabble with his sisters Naja and Cookie whenever he could.
Beanie was also an avid sports fan; soccer was his favorite sport to watch, but he
also enjoyed watching tennis, golf, boxing, college football, track, gymnastics,

swimming, and many other sports. He was looking forward to watching the 2024
Summer Olympics with great anticipation before he passed away from a sudden
and brief illness.
Beanie was also a voracious reader of books, magazines, online newspapers, and
other materials that covered a broad spectrum of topics. He loved using his vast
knowledge that he gained from reading to win arguments with family members and
friends; he was known not to give up in an argument until he felt he had proven his
point and won.
He was also a movie buff; he was proud that he had watched many of the greatest
movies to have ever been made; he would often walk into a room while someone
was in the middle of watching a movie, and after watching the movie for just a few
minutes, he would proudly announce the name of the movie that was on the
television screen. Anyone who really knows Beanie can tell you that his favorite
movie of all time was Godfather Part II with Godfather Part I being a very close
second. He was also an accomplished movie screenplay writer himself, having
won 2 statewide contests in Virginia for best screenplay by an amateur.
Beanie leaves to cherish his memory his big brother, Leslie F. “Skip” Griffin, Jr.
(Lynette), with whom he talked by phone at least 3 or 4 times a day; his sisters,
Naja Johnson and Cocheyse “Cookie” Epps; and his younger brother, Eric
Bancroft “Ricky” Griffin, Sr. (Renee), with whom he lived in Greensboro, North
Carolina.
He also leaves to cherish his memory three nieces: Shavi Johnson, Adenike Griffin,
and Chloe Griffin; and five nephews: Kojo Griffin (Ntzana), Kwame Bailey
(Shana), Clifton Epps, Damani Johnson (Nikea), and Eric Bancroft Griffin, Jr. His
nieces and nephews all have their own special memories to share of their favorite
uncle, “Uncle Beanie.”
He also found great joy in hearing about the latest achievements and
accomplishments of his great nieces and great nephews: Naja Marie Butler; Zion,
Kether, and Osiris Griffin; Elijah and Ava Bailey; Kiri Adelaide Williams; and
Ramia, Selah, Yara, and Hendrix Johnson.
He will also be missed by his cousins, and especially Ronald “Ronnie” Murphy,
and Edgar “Pee Wee” Murphy, who were like brothers to him.
And finally, Beanie will be missed by “Bacon,” the pet Beagle of his niece Chloe,
who loved to hang out with him, to practice the tricks he had taught him, and to eat
the many treats that he gave him.