Wayne Alan Griffin, age 77, of Anderson, SC, passed away on Thursday, July 30, 2026.

Born April 26, 1949, in Smithtown, Long Island, NY, he was a son of the late William Edward Griffin and Dorothy Burtis Griffin. He was married to Kelly Marsh Griffin until her death in 2025. He was also preceded in death by a brother, Donald Griffin.

Wayne was a proud veteran of the United States Navy and was stationed in Italy during the Vietnam War. After his military service, he returned to New York where he graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and began a career as an executive chef. He then opened his restaurant The Wooden Ships Inn in Fishkill, NY. Years later, the ocean called and he answered making his way down the coast looking for his next opportunity. He landed in Hilton Head where he would meet his wife of 38 years. Soon thereafter they moved to South Florida where they could enjoy life on the water together. As a couple they spent over 20 years working on super yacht charters out of Florida and up the eastern Caribbean islands. He was a talented chef and his love for the water led him to a long career cooking for many famous and wealthy clients throughout the years. Wayne finally retired inland in Anderson, SC. It would be here where he would raise a family. When things slowed down, Wayne enjoyed “playing host” on holidays and family events, telling stories of his many adventures and sharing a home cooked meal.

Wayne was proud of his New York roots and even more proud that he never lost his accent. Despite moving around a lot throughout the years, New York was always home.

Family was the most important thing to Wayne. He valued the time spent around the dinner table, where Sunday meals were spent bonding over food and laughter. His grandchildren held a very special place in his heart. In the early days, he was a hockey coach to his sons and was the one who taught his daughter how to braid her hair. His love for cars was passed on to his children, teaching them all how to drive. He was a wealth of knowledge and always insisted on doing it himself, whether it be home improvements, working on his cars, or teaching life lessons. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather (DD), brother, and friend.

He is survived by his four children, Dylan Griffin (Caroline), Chase Griffin (Kathryn), Harrison Griffin (Lauren), and Farrell Griffin; brother, William “Bill” Griffin; and two grandchildren, Dylan Hudson Griffin and Austin Reilly Griffin.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Wounded Warrior Project, www.Wounded Warrior Project, or Tunnel to Towers Foundation, www.t2t.org.

Condolences may be left for the family by visiting WWW.MCDOUGALDFUNERALHOME.COM