David Benjamin Griffiths

PRESQUE ISLE – When David Benjamin Griffiths died on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, at 5:58 a.m., it was the time when he would have been up feeding his dog and making morning coffee.

David was the son of Dr. Eugene B. Griffiths and Kathryn Pipes Griffiths. He graduated from Presque Isle High School in 1954, the University of Maine at Orono in 1958, and Boston University School of Law in 1961. He was admitted to practice law in the State of Maine in 1961. David practiced law in Presque Isle from 1961 to 1988, appointed by Governor John McKernan and District Court Judge in 1988 as the resident judge in Presque Isle and Houlton. Griffiths studied at the National Judicial College. In 2003 he retired as an active judge and was appointed by Governor John Baldacci as an active Retired Judge and served in courts throughout the state at the direction of the Chief Judge of the Maine District Court.

David Griffiths served various community, county and state activities. He taught Business Law as an adjunct instructor of the University of Maine at Presque Isle, held at Loring Air Force Base.

In the 1960s, he served as Director of School Administrative District #1 and the State of Maine School Board Association.

He served as a member of the Board of Directors of Aroostook Mental Health Services for 12 years and was president of that association when it was granted a federal staffing grant to provide for mental health services for Aroostook County. He served on the initial board of directors of the Foundation of the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

In 1985 he was elected to the Presque Isle City Council and served as Council Chairperson. In 1988 he served as president of the Aroostook Bar Association. He was Fellow of the Aroostook Bar Association.

He was a member of and President of the Northeast Chapter of the National Audubon Society. From 1988 to 2003 he served on the Board of Directors of the Aroostook Medical Center. In 2003 he was recognized at the Blaine House by the Battered Women’s Coalition for continuing support and work done on behalf of the coalition. In 2004, he served as the Judicial Representative of a group of Maine lawyers and academics in a seminar in Arkangel, Russia, providing assistance to the Russian response to the worldwide problem of domestic abuse. He was a member of Kiwanis Club. In 2004, he was awarded the Lifetime Citizen Award by the Presque Isle Chamber of Commerce.

David and Roberta Griffiths were each conferred honorary doctoral degrees of humane letters by the University of Maine at Presque Isle in May 2010.

David Griffiths was very active, running long races, riding his bike throughout Aroostook County, and was an exceptional skier, who taught his children and grandchildren the right way on the snow slopes. Golfing was his most favorite way of spending summer days, and his last trip to the golf course was just a week ago. David was very active in his church, as moderator, church school, Deacon and Trustee. Currently, he was a member of the Grand Memorial United Methodist Church.

David and Roberta would have celebrated their 66th anniversary in September. Their children are Jeffrey (Mary) in Portland, Suzanne in Vassalboro and Jeremy in Lebanon, N.H.

David was predeceased by his son, Christopher in 2018.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 20 at Grant Memorial United Methodist Church in Presque Isle, 79 Fleetwood St. The reception will be held at 1 p.m. at the same site.

Requiescat in Pace

Gifts in memory of David may be given to the

University of Maine at Presque Isle

181 Main Street or

Grant Memorial United Methodist Church

P.O. Box 992

Presque Isle, Maine