Griffith-Cline Funeral Homes and Cremation Services

Original Griffith-Cline funeral home, circa 1938.

Griffith-Cline Funeral Homes and Cremation Services has been serving the families of Manatee and Sarasota counties since 1938. Founded by J.M. Griffith and C.R. Cline, the firm remains in the Griffith family and is dedicated to providing compassionate, dignified and understanding care.

J.M. Griffith C.R. Cline

O.M. "Buster" Griffith
Manatee County's 2008
"Citizen of the Year"

At the end of World War II, O.M. "Buster" Griffith joined the firm, purchasing Mr. Cline's ownership interest in 1948. He assumed complete ownership of the firm in 1960. It is Buster's legacy as a caring, compassionate and dedicated funeral professional that continues to infuse the philosophy of the firm.

Buster's son Ken joined the firm in 1967 and purchased all interests in 2004. Today he serves as President and Owner. Buster is still active in the day-to-day operations of the funeral homes and serves as President-Emeritus.

Griffith-Cline remains a Bradenton institution and looks forward to serving Manatee and Sarasota county residents for years to come.

Buster was recently honored as Manatee County's 2008 "Citizen of the Year" in recognition of his many years of devoted service to the citizens of the area.

Our Staff

Kenneth Griffith - Owner and President
O.M. "Buster" Griffith - President Emeritus

Myriah Cummings - Licensed Funeral Director myriah.cummings@griffithcline.com
Rick Groover - Licensed Funeral Director rick.groover@griffithcline.com
W. Dick Hall - Funeral Assistant dick.hall@griffithcline.com
Jack Martin - Funeral Assistant
J. Thomas McQuillen - Licensed Funeral Director tom.mcquillen@griffithcline.com
Judy O'Neill - Administrative Assistant, Accounting judy.oneill@griffithcline.com
Robert E. Parrish, Ed.D. - Director of Pre-Need Planning bob.parrish@griffithcline.com
Terry "Ted" Riley - Licensed Funeral Director ted.riley@griffithcline.com
Mary Roberson - Receptionist
Shelley Riley Self - Pre-Need and Aftercare Specialist shelley.self@griffithcline.com
Mary Sharkey - Administrative Assistant, Details mary.sharkey@griffithcline.com
Brenda Stewart - Funeral Assistant
Philip H. Toale - Pre-Need Specialist philip.toale@griffithcline.com
Jack Townsend - Licensed Funeral Director

Messages From Those We've Served

If you'd like to read what some of our client families have written about our funeral home staff, please click here or above.

LATEST NEWS

Griffith-Cline has installed a new state-of-the-art cremation chamber at our Manatee Avenue location.. We undertook this extensive renovation of our facilities in order to better serve our client families.

Cremation is becoming an ever more popular alternative to traditional burial for a wide variety of reasons. Griffith-Cline's first cremation chamber was installed in the early 1960s and was the first in the Manatee County area. We have continued to update our facilities over the years as needed. Our new chamber is the third such unit to be installed at our Manatee Avenue location and represents today's state-of-the art.

The installation of a new chamber means that all facets of the cremation process will take place in-house, thereby assuring our client- families of complete accountability and exacting standards throughout the cremation process.