Ellen (Yost) Griffin

Ellen Yost Griffin, 83, of Iona, Idaho, passed away at Rigby Lake Assisted Living Center on Friday, March 21, 2025, from complications of Alzheimer’s Disease.

Ellen was born on October 27, 1941, in her Grandmother Yost’s house in Springdale, Idaho, to Orlin Carl Yost and Margie Ardell Kunzler Yost. She was the oldest of six sisters. She grew up in Yost, Brigham City, and Ogden, Utah, and recalled spending many summer months living with her Grandma and Grandpa Yost, learning to cook and fish.

She married Wayne J Griffin in the Salt Lake City, Utah, LDS Temple on May 12, 1961. They lived in West Weber, Utah, where she worked as head bookkeeper of the Ogden First Federal Bank, for the Internal Revenue Service, and then back again to Ogden First Federal where she became the head of their computer department.

She had three children, Nori, Carl, and Michelle. They participated in many family events from learning to water ski, riding snowmobiles, to many other outings.

In 1977, they moved to Iona, Idaho, to work at and buy into Yost Office Systems, operated by her Uncle Willis Yost. She trained people to use various word processing equipment from Vydec, Wang, and others. She traveled throughout Idaho, Utah, and Wyoming training others to use the equipment. She later moved on to more administrative work in the company. They bought the company in 1982 with Bruce Jones, Jack Larsen, and Bruce Newbold. They sold the business in 1995.

She was active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from her youth, recalling work in road shows, Primary, Relief Society, and the Young Women organization. She and her husband also served for more than two years on missions to the Washington, D.C., LDS Temple.

She wrote this about her time spent working and playing with her husband, Wayne: “He has been a good provider and leader in our house. We have had a good friendship and marriage to begin with, and then we have been blessed with financial opportunities and the health to work and be active in the church. I am very conscious of all my Creator has given to me.”

She is survived by her husband, Wayne of Iona; daughter, Nori (Kevin) Brower of Rigby; son, Carl (Tani) Griffin of Payson, Utah; daughter, Michelle (Brian) Davidson of Ammon; eight grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren, and one on the way; and her sisters, Oleatta McFarland of Riverdale, Utah, Donell (John) Bowles of Plain City, Utah, Renee (Wallace) Vernieuw of Layton, Utah, Jeannie (Kim) Webber of Meridian, Idaho, and Penny (Paul) Manning of Idaho Falls.

She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers who died at birth.

The family would like to express its thanks to the caregivers at Rigby Lake Assisted Living, BRiO Home Health and Hospice, Teton Healthcare, Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, Chanse Powell, and longtime friends, Mike and Bernie Olsen for their caring service and love for Ellen.