lit a candle 13d agoI only read about James through that notice in the Courier but something about it stopped me this morning, coffee in hand, thinking of my own boys. Forty six. Twenty four years with Jennie. The part about him loving the simple, everyday moments with his sons, that's the whole of it really. Sending love to Jennie, Dylan and Mason.
Their story
James Nathan Griffin was a husband, father and son who died suddenly on September 30, 2026, at the age of 46. He had spent most of his life in Iowa before recently settling in Denver, Colorado, and his death was reported through an obituary published by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier…
James Nathan Griffin was a husband, father and son who died suddenly on September 30, 2026, at the age of 46. He had spent most of his life in Iowa before recently settling in Denver, Colorado, and his death was reported through an obituary published by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier on October 11, 2026. Griffin was not a public figure in the sense of holding office, a professional title, or a media career; no newspaper or broadcast coverage beyond the funeral notice has been found, and nothing about his working life or profession has been made public.
According to the obituary shared by his family, Griffin was born in Melrose, Massachusetts, in 1980 and grew up mainly in Iowa before moving west to Colorado later in life. He was remembered as someone who would do anything for the people he loved, and the tribute placed his family life, rather than any public career, at the center of who he was. He is described as having spent twenty four years with his wife, Jennifer Westemeier Griffin, known to those close to her as Jennie, and as the father of two sons, Dylan, 24, and Mason, 16.
The obituary described simple, everyday pleasures as central to Griffin's life: watching his sons play sports, playing video games with them, and following his favorite teams. These details, offered by his family rather than drawn from any public record, are the main window available into his character and daily life.
Griffin's death was sudden, and the notice shared by his family does not state a cause. No official cause of death has been made public, and no autopsy findings, police reports, or further statements from the family have surfaced beyond the funeral notice itself. He is survived by his wife Jennie, his sons Dylan and Mason, his mother Ava Sherrets, and his uncle Marc Prince. He was preceded in death by his father, James Gerard Griffin. A Celebration of Life was arranged for Saturday, October 17, 2026, from 1 to 5 pm at the American Legion Hall in Hazleton, Iowa, where friends and family are expected to gather to remember him.
Biography adapted from News reports and the sources cited on this page; death reported by Legacy | Obituary.
