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PROFILE OF A MUSEUM VOLUNTEER Weldon Griffith was born March 25, 1938 in Jerome, Idaho to Franklin and Rachel Griffith. They then lived in Twin Falls, Idaho until Weldon finished the 7th grade. In 1952, they moved to Fresno, California where Weldon attended Washington Jr High, Fresno High and Clovis High Schools He entered the Army in April of 1956 and did his basic training at Fort Ord. The following June he was sent to the Army Security Training Center at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. He completed training there in May 1957 and was shipped to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines Islands. There they had a U.S. Navy Sailor attached to the Army working on an Air Force Base. Upon completion of that tour of duty in the PI, he was transferred to Oakland, California where he was honorably discharged from the Army in February 1959. In April, 1960 he married the love of his life, Rita Humphry. In September 1961, the Griffiths were blessed with a son Michael John Griffith who passed on in 2013 and had been an Air Force Veteran. In 1967, they were blessed with an adopted daughter, Kimra, who was four months old. She has blessed them with two wonderful grandchildren, Justin and Jessika. In 1973, they were blessed again with the surprise of their life, a baby boy born June 12th, and named him Brandon Wayne Griffith. Brandon served in the Navy as electrician and SAR Swimmer and is a Gulf War Veteran. He is presently employed an engineer with the Fresno City Fire Department.
In October 1960, Weldon joined the Fresno Police Department as a first time Police Cadet when it was required to be 25 years old. In 1961 Weldon was promoted to Police Officer and worked in several different units, Patrol, Special Enforcements and Identification Bureau. In 1971,he was promoted to Police Specialist and worked in the Detective Division. In 1972, Detective Larry McIntye and Weldon were sent to Red Stone Arsenal in Huntsville, Alabama for training in Bomb Disposal and IED recognition . They both served as EOD Technician: until retirement. Weldon retired in September of 1988 from the Fresno PD and then went to work for Fresno County D. A. Office as a Senior Investigator/Supervisor. He retired from FCDA on March 31, 2001.
After retiremen, Rita and Weldon have traveled around the United States in their 5th wheel and still do. They are members of the International Footprinter Association and do projects for them and the Clovis Elks. They belong to Clovis Hills Community Church and are involved in Child Ministry and an Adult Group. Weldon voluteers onTuesdays at the Veterans Memorial Museum "Home of the Legion of Valor" with three other Fresno PD Veterans.
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