LEWISTON — John D. Griffin, 71, well-known retired attorney, died unexpectedly Monday, Oct. 24, at Central Maine Medical Center.

John, born May 5, 1940, the son of Lewis and June Griffin, graduated from Lewiston High School in 1958, and Yale University, 1962, where he continued on to graduate work. At Yale, he was a member of the Elizabethan Club. His senior thesis won the famous Wrexham prize.

He earned his law degree at Boston University School of Law in 1966, and established a private practice for more than 40 years until retirement in 2006. His concentration was representing clients injured on the job to gain their worker’s compensation settlements.

He was also well-known for his passion for classic automobiles, including Packards, Kaiser-Frazers, Studebakers, and Chryslers. He also enjoyed world travel, especially the United Kingdom and Europe. John and his wife, Nancy, wintered many seasons in Southwest Florida.

Because his father was a China-Burma-India veteran of World War II, John joined the Pinetree Basha CBI Veterans in 1997, as an enthusiastic associate member. He served as Commander since the year 2000, where he brought new ideas, concerns, knowledge of military procedure and CBI Theatre that were implemented to the enhancement of the meetings and organization. One of his achievements was the voice recording of each veteran as he was interviewed by John. These archival recordings were donated to the Institute on World War II and The Human Experience, in Tallahassee, Fla., where donations in his honor may be sent.

It was under his leadership that the CBI Monument was purchased, installed and then dedicated on Sept. 30, 2006, at the Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Augusta. John was in touch with many of the World War II museums in Maine and other states. He encouraged those who have historical artifacts, before they are lost, to contact these museums. John will be remembered for his outstanding contribution to the CBI veterans of the Pine Tree Basha of Maine.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy W. Griffin of Auburn; his mother, June L. Griffin of Lewiston; his brother, Richard L. Griffin of Sharon, Mass.; other family members include his son, Bradford W. Griffin of Methuen, Mass.; granddaughters, Amelia, Julia and Sophia Griffin, also of Methuen, Mass.; and his nephews, Patrick Griffin of Norwood, Mass., and Ryan Griffin of Allston, Mass.

His father, Lewis J. Griffin, predeceased him in 1998.