Athens, Ga. — Earlier this month, Georgia Gov. Brian P. Kemp, First Lady Marty Kemp and University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead gathered at the UGA School of Law to announce the establishment of an endowment providing scholarly and fellowship support in memory of the late John E. “Buck” Griffin. Members of the Griffin family and the law firm Fortson, Bentley & Griffin were also present.
Morehead described Griffin as a hero for his role as an Army Ranger during the D-Day invasion, a distinguished student who earned accounting and law degrees at UGA, an extraordinary lawyer who held leadership positions within the profession and a pillar of the local community.
“Mr. Griffin’s life was defined by his selflessness and his devotion to serving others,” Morehead said. “It is only fitting that his name should live on forever at the School of Law.”
Calling Griffin an inspiration, Gov. Kemp said, “There are still those who put service and sacrifice above self; still men and women who put their neighbors’ well-being above their own. … That’s what celebrations like today are for, and that’s what they should serve to remind us of — and our own responsibility — to leave a world better than we found it.”
First Lady Marty Kemp, whose family members were close friends of the Griffins, described Griffin as a happy and kind man “who always had something nice to say.” She also described him as a peacemaker and someone who was always doing something for someone else.
During the ceremony, School of Law Dean Usha R. Rodrigues thanked the John E. “Buck” Griffin Endowment donors and introduced first-year law student Taylor “Dax” Bishop, the inaugural scholarship recipient supported by the endowment.
Rodrigues said it was wonderful to celebrate the incredible person Buck Griffin was as well as the tremendous impact he had on the UGA community, Georgia and our nation. “We are fortunate indeed that his legacy will continue to live on through students like Dax.”
The endowment was established earlier this summer through the efforts of the Griffin family; members of the law firm Fortson, Bentley & Griffin; Tom Harrold, a noted leader in Atlanta’s international law and business communities who made a lead gift to memorialize one of his mentors; and others.
The endowment will support scholarships and fellowships benefiting law students who have served or are planning to serve in the U.S. military and/or hail from South Georgia, particularly around Griffin’s hometown of Hazlehurst, and North Georgia, particularly around Athens, where he resided for over 50 years.
Describing her father as humble in all things and empathetic to all situations, Marcia Griffin Talmadge said he never forgot his modest beginnings.
“He was given help when he needed it, and I believe he felt it was his obligation to help others,” Talmadge said. “What you’re doing here today will open the door for other young Georgians to come to the Georgia law school and walk the same path that he did, and I know that would make him very happy.”
Griffin, a Georgia native, passed away in 2002 at the age of 78. He earned a Bronze Star, a Silver Star and a Purple Heart for his service during World War II. After graduating from UGA, he became a leading figure in the Athens community and the legal profession. He was a founding partner of the law firm Fortson, Bentley & Griffin and served as chair of the State Board of Bar Examiners and as president of the Western Circuit Bar Association. He helped establish Athens Academy and served for a number of years on the Athens Regional Development Council.
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Writer: Heidi Murphy, hmurphy@uga.edu
Contact: UGA Media Relations, media@uga.edu
Note to editors: The following photos are available online
https://news.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/091726_GriffinEndowment-1536x1024-jpg.webp
Cutline: From left, pictured at the celebration announcing the John E. “Buck” Griffin Endowment are UGA School of Law alumnus Tom Harrold, first-year law student and inaugural Buck Griffin Scholarship recipient Taylor “Dax” Bishop, Marcia Griffin Talmadge, School of Law Dean Usha R. Rodrigues, Gov. Brian P. Kemp and First Lady Marty Kemp. (Photo by Justin Evans)
https://news.uga.edu/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/091726_GriffinEndowment_MoreheadandKemp-jpg.webp
Cutline: University of Georgia President Jere W. Morehead, right, greets Gov. Brian P. Kemp after introducing him during the ceremony memorializing the late John E. “Buck” Griffin. (Photo by Justin Evans)
This release is available online at
https://news.uga.edu/endowment-established-in-memory-of-uga-alumnus-buck-griffin/