Peter Griffith

Peter Griffith passed away on March 5, 2022 in Belmont, MA. Born in London, on September 23, 1927 to Sanford Griffith and Katherine Beach Bennett, he grew up in Huntington, Long Island. He obtained degrees in mechanical engineering from New York University (BS), the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (MS) and MIT (doctorate) where he became a professor. He served in the army after WWII. He was a dedicated family man who deeply honored children and built them marvelous toys; an avid distance runner; a year-round, daily bike commuter until he was 83; a voracious reader; a hilariously bad speller; a delightful raconteur; a generous host; a practical problem solver with a cheerful disregard for failure; a survivor who carried on resolutely through many tragedies and losses. His 56-year career included overseeing 200+ theses and producing 100+ publications. His numerous publication awards included the 1986 American Society of Mechanical Engineers Melville Medal. He was appreciated by students for his accessibility and presence, working from his old graduate student basement lab office until he retired "because the lab is where the students are." He was preceded in death by his first wife, Sylvia (Biorn-Hansen) Griffith, his daughter, Sonja Biorn-Hansen, his second wife, Kathleen "Kitty" (Mayo) Griffith, and his brother, Sanford "Sandy" Griffith. He is survived by his daughter, Katherine "Kat" Griffith; son-in-law Soren Hauge; grandchildren Savannah "Sav" and Bjorn Hauge and Pei Biorn-Hansen; his sister Brenda McCooey; his step-daughter Sara (Laber) Young; son-in-law Stephen Young; grandsons Nicholas and Lucas Young; several cousins; and numerous nieces and nephews.

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