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Lilly, as she was known by her close friends, was born Elza Prudentia De Vriese on the 31st day of January 1924. She was born in the Flemish part of Belgium, in the small rural town of Evergem. The family name De Vriese is an ancient one, and Lilly was fond of letting you know its meaning, "without fear."
As a child she grew up at the time of the depression. Her parents worked in the large city of Ghent nearby, while she stayed on a farm in the "fields of Flanders" where poppies and blue flowers grew abundantly. There she was able to attend school until WWII broke out and the Nazis invaded the country.
During that occupation, her father was sent to Germany to work and later was killed when the ship he was on sank from a torpedo or mine. Again separated from her family, as a young woman she worked as a housekeeper for a German widower, who was anti-Nazi. Cautiously, with his two daughters, and Lilly they would secretly listen to the BBC on the radio to get reports on the progress of the war.
In March of 1945, with gunfire erupting and cannon shells whistling overhead, she witnessed the American soldiers force the Nazi regime out and bringing relief to all. It was during this time that she met her future husband Gillett Griswold. Soon, after months of persistent romantic messages, they were married in Frankfurt, Germany, on Dec, 15, 1945.
It was here that their first child was born, a daughter whom they named Elizabeth, nicknamed Lizette. After a trip to the United States to meet Gillett's parents in Montana, and her introduction to beautiful Flathead Lake, they later had a son, Gary, who was born in Heidelberg, Germany.
Months later, in 1950, they moved back to the United States, where Gillett could resume his college education. After three years at 8 Power River Street in Missoula, Montana, the family of four moved to Lawton, Oklahoma. Here Gillett was employed as the Director of the Field Artillery Museum at Fort Sill.
While raising her children here, Lilly assisted her husband on many historical projects. From inventorying, to preparing artifacts for display, to conducting tours, at the same time she volunteered her services at the museum gift shop. She assisted Gillett on hundreds of field trips, interviews and ceremonies concerning the Apache, Comanche, Kiowa and other local tribes. She was a den mother for Brownies when Lizette was in grade school, and took Gary every morning to the FFA farm to feed his livestock. As you can see, Lilly was a great organizer; somehow with one automobile she chauffeured Gillett, Gary and Lizette to all their appointments.
In 1975, Lilly was visited by an elderly minister of Jehovah's Witnesses. After bringing the Watchtower and Awake! magazines for many months, a Bible study was started with his wife. After much devotion to study of the Bible, Lilly dedicated her life to the "true God" Jehovah and was baptized on February 3, 1979.
Upon Gillett's retirement, they built a stunning cedar home on beautiful Flathead Lake in Montana and made that their permanent home in 1984. Now associated with the Kalispell Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses, Gillett too dedicated his life to serving Jehovah.
After eleven wonderful years together in retirement, Gillett passed away in June of 1995. Lilly continued her ministry and taking care of their home another five years to the month. She then moved back to Oklahoma where she resided with her son and his wife Karin. Now residing with the North Congregation in Lawton, and later the West Congregation, she continued her faithful service. Sadly, in her final years, dementia took its toll. Lilly served Jehovah God faithfully until her death.
She is survived by her daughter Lizette Bagdadi, her husband Albert, their daughter Rebecca Davis and her husband Randy and their two children Sarah and Jordan; also her son Gary Griswold and his wife Karin Griswold, and their two daughters, Jamie Gammon and her husband Nathan, and Jodie Griswold; and also, by her extended family and friends, all whom she loved very much.
A memorial service will be held on February 9, 2019 at 2:00 PM at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses located at 6602 NW Elm Ave., Lawton, OK 73505. Flowers and condolences may be sent to the home at 7714 Wyatt Lake Dr., Lawton, OK 73505.The Griswold and Bagdadi family wish to acknowledge with deep appreciation the many expressions of love, concern, and kindness shown to the family during this time of bereavement.
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