William Ben Scriffin's Obituary
Born 31 August 1922, Passed on 17 December 2024.
William “Scriff” Scriffin was born on 31 August 1922 to Ben and Sophie Scriffin in Crosby, Wyoming. Scriff enjoyed growing up on a farm, hunting and searching for dinosaur bones in the wide-open wilderness that was Wyoming in the 1920s. Always very active, he was the 1940 Wyoming State Champion in the mile.
After graduating from high school, Scriff went up to Montana to enlist in the US Military. He joined the US Army Air Corp (Predecessor to the US Air Force) and was sent to mechanics school in California to help repair the planes that were damaged in combat. After completing training, he was sent to North Africa early in the war under British General Montgomery until the US Forces arrived. He worked on all major aircraft in use during World War II in the European Theatre. After the war, he was very proud of his support of the Berlin Airlift, helping invent systems that ensured that supplies were provided to the people of Berlin at the start of the Soviet occupation. It was also after the war that he met the love of his life, Gisela. They were married for 66 years and had three daughters, Ginny, Cindy and Nita. His next significant duty station was in the Philippines during the Vietnam War, where he achieved the rank of Chief Master Sergeant. After retiring from the US Air Force with 30 years of distinguished service, Scriff went to work for industry maintaining planes and training mechanics and welders for the Iranian Air Force in Iran. After the fall of the Shah in 1979, where he and his family were airlifted out of Iran as the Shah’s regime was falling, he returned to the US and went to work for McDonnell Douglas in Saudi Arabia for over 20 years, maintaining aircraft and training local personnel for the Royal Saudi Air Force. Finally retiring in 2002 at the age of 80, Scriff settled into a life of retirement with Gisela, living between Washington and Arizona. Although retired, Scriff had a large workshop and enjoyed using his tools to fix things around the house. His inventive spirit, developed during his time in the military, stayed with him his whole life
Scriff enjoyed cooking and continued to cook for himself well past 100. He was also an avid golfer, scuba diver and loved dancing with his wife Gisela. He enjoyed travelling with Gisela visiting many places around the world
Scriff was a devoted husband, father and military veteran. He was always very proud of his service to his country through 3 wars (WWII, Korea and Vietnam) and as a contractor during Desert Shield and Desert Storm but was most proud of his family. He is survived by his sister Marian, three daughters, 6 grandchildren and many great grandchildren.
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