Groovin' Gary

Richard LeVon Griffiths, a.k.a. Groovin' Gary and the Beaver Kid, was born on October 29, 1958 in Cedar City, Utah. His parents were Louis LaVon and Wanda Jane Yardley Griffiths. Richard had three sisters: Vicki, Nancy and Laurie. He attended Minersville Elementary School through the 8th grade. Griffiths was active in track, shop and student government at Beaver High School. Richard graduated from Beaver High School in 1977. Griffiths achieved local celebrity status for his incredible impression of Olivia Newton-John singing "Please Don't Keep Me Waiting" at an amateur talent show. He was also well known for his equally wicked impressions of Stevie Nicks and Barry Manilow. Richard was the subject of the segment "The Beaver Kid" in the movie "The Beaver Trilogy" by director Trent Harris. Moreover, both Sean Penn and Crispin Clover played characters based on Griffiths in short movies directed by Harris. Richard worked for Union Pacific Railroad and Commercial Business Radio in Delta, Utah. He owned his own electronics business in Beaver, Utah. For the last fourteen years of his life Griffiths worked as a truck driver for Circle 4 Farms. He married Mary Jo Sant on October 10, 1992 in Beaver, Utah. Richard died at age 50 at the Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah on February 2, 2009. Although he's sadly no longer with us, Richard LeVon Griffiths will continue to keep on groovin' on in the hearts and memories of everyone who knew and loved him.