Kathy Lanette Griffin

Kathy Lanette Griffin, of Cashiers, North Carolina, and Thomasville, Georgia passed away on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at the age of 71.

Lanette was born on December 15, 1954, in Donalsonville, Georgia, to the late Pasco Whittaker and Ruby Branch Whittaker.

Lanette grew up in Donalsonville and was a graduate of Seminole County High School. She went on to attend Georgia Southwestern State University, where she earned her bachelor's degree, graduating summa cum laude. While in college, she also earned her pilot's license, an accomplishment that made her father especially proud.

After graduating from college, Lanette's wanderlust and desire to see the world led her to Juneau, Alaska, where she lived and worked for ten years.

Her desire to settle down, along with her love for the beach and the outdoors, eventually led her back closer to home. She settled in Apalachicola, FL, where, she accepted a position with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice as a juvenile probation officer. Her years in that role were among the most rewarding of her life. She found deep satisfaction in helping young people who were headed down the wrong path. Many times, she was stopped in public and thanked by the mothers of children she had helped. She heard countless success stories and was shown graduation photographs and pictures of young men and women in military uniforms-all of whom had been influenced and encouraged by Lanette to strive for better things in life.

In 2004, Lanette and her husband retired to western North Carolina. There, she spent the last 22 years of her life enjoying the beauty, nature, and tranquility of the Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge.

Lanette is survived by her loving husband of 30 years, Burt Bivins Griffin; her brothers, George Whittaker (Deborah) of Donalsonville and Mark Whittaker (Denean) of Thomasville.

In addition to her parents, Lanette was preceded in death by her sister, Linda Wilson.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, June 13, 2026, from 4-6 pm at Allen & Allen Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.