Obituary

Things We Know and Love About Scott

A Man with Many Passions

Scott Jeffryes Griffiths of Lake Lotawana, Missouri, passed away on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, at a friend’s house, doing something he loved—playing drums. Born November 3, 1962, in Kansas City, Missouri, he grew up at Lake Quivira, Kansas, and graduated from Shawnee Mission Northwest High School in 1981.

Sailing was a lifelong passion. Scott began competing seriously in the Finn Class in the 1980s and represented the United States in major championships across Europe, the Baltics, Australia, and New Zealand. He sailed his first Olympic Trials in 1988 and continued racing in as many championship regattas as his work life allowed. After retiring, Scott increased his participation in sailing competitions, racing in all the major Finn Class championships in North America. He also volunteered as a member of the USA Finn Executive Committee. Scott enjoyed sailing the MC and C-Scow Classes as well. He competed in the US Sailing Championship of Champions—“the best of the best” sailing C- Scows, while representing the Finn Class in 2012. Most recently, he especially loved traveling to the Finn Masters World Championships, which often attracts nearly 300 competitors.

Music was another passion. Scott played drums in two bands, The Thursdays and The Accidental Project. He and his partner, Gerry Johnson, along with close friends, attended countless concerts—large and small —often traveling to other cities to see their favorites. In high school, Scott and his friend Steve Hilleary were notorious for sneaking into concerts without paying, including Bad Company and The Rolling Stones at Kemper Arena, and Triumph at Memorial Hall. During that last caper, they almost got caught— or so it seemed. Using a curtain lowered from the second floor (I kid you not), Steve climbed up and scrambled through a window. Realizing Scott was too big for the curtain, he threw down a fire hose. Scott made slow progress until Steve yelled, “Quick, they’re coming!” The idle threat motivated Scott to sprint up the hose, into the window, and into the auditorium, where they enjoyed a front-row view.

Jeeps were another love of Scott’s. His family owned a 1948 Willys Jeep—the first Jeep made for the military— acquired by his dad and Uncle Dave when they were young men. He also had a green Wrangler Rubicon (“Pickle”) and an orange Renegade (“Pumpkin”), which he loved taking up the mountain trails near his father’s cabin in Stonewall, Colorado.

Scott also loved his cats, Jackie and Freddy; skateboarding; attending car shows; Italian food; Chiefs football; Royals baseball; and collecting sports memorabilia—not necessarily in that order.

But the passion at the center of his heart was his partner, Gerry Johnson. She brought levity and joy to his life and introduced him to a new circle of friends. He saw more plays in the first year of their relationship than he had in the previous fifty.

In addition to Gerry, Scott is survived by his stepmother, Judy Griffiths; uncle, Dave Griffith (Mara); stepsister, Tonya Johnson (Jaison); step-nieces, Zadie and Aneya Johnson; stepbrother-in-law, James Carr; and many beloved friends in the sailing and music communities. Scott was preceded in death by his parents, Cornelia Nicolay Edwards Griffiths and Albert Jeffryes Griffiths; stepsister, Therese “Tara” Carr; and step-niece, Cory Carr.

A Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, April 25, 2026, between 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Missouri Yacht Club at 71 M St, Lake Lotawana, MO 64086. Please feel free to drop in anytime during the celebration of life, as there is no formal service time.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Harvesters, Toys for Tots, the American Heart Association, or a charity of your choice. Scott’s name will be added to his mother’s memory bench at Shawnee Mission Memory Gardens in Shawnee, Kansas, and tributes may be left at https://langsfordfuneralhome.com/tributes/.