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Joseph William Griffith ’48

A picture of Joseph Griffith

Joseph William Griffith ’48, September 16, 2008, in Portland. During World War II, Joseph was a maritime services radio operator at Heitz-Kaufman in California. He earned a BA from Reed in physics. Afterwards, he joined the Institute of Radio Engineers, held a position as tube development engineer for Tektronix, and conducted glassblowing and electronic research on tubes for Electro-Glass Lab in Beaverton. He also worked in the cathode ray tube laboratory at Linfield College and was a physicist with the Schwager-Wood Corporation in Portland. He held eight patents and 12 applications for patents. Joseph sang with the Portland Opera for 10 years and was a member of the Portland Symphonic Choir. He also belonged to the City Club of Portland, the Oregon Badminton Association, and the Multnomah Athletic Club. In 1950, he married Jean McKinney; they had one son. Joseph's sister, Edith Griffith Swoboda ’48, was also a graduate of Reed in physics.

Appeared in Reed magazine: March 2010