Joyce Jeanne Griffin

Joyce Jeanne Griffin passed peacefully of natural causes on February 23, 2021. She was 79.

Joyce was born March 20, 1941 in Wallace, West Virginia. She was the daughter of Rex and Estella Carson. Joyce had deep roots in West Virginia, with six generations of relatives working the timber of Harrison County.

Joyce married William Ray Griffin on December 1, 1962. Bill enlisted in the Air Force, and as a career NCO, he and Joyce served in New Zealand, India, Florida, and California.

The two gave birth to Sherri in 1966, and Brenda in 1967. Joyce was blessed with these two daughters; five grandchildren named Katelyn, Jeanné, Ana, Antonio, and Isaiah; and three great-grandchildren named Eli, Aiden and Lorenzo. Her brother Gary survives her.

Joyce earned a Masters in Nursing, and worked in the field of oncology, providing healing and respite care to countless patients. She was active in her church, teaching Sunday school and remaining active in church business. She is well remembered and cherished by her friends there. She regularly took mission trips to Ecuador and Chili with the Women’s Mission Union, providing shoes, toothbrushes, and other scarce personal items to orphans and others in need.

She was an ambitious cook, noted for her Clarissa plum jam and her thirty-four-ingredient curry recipe.

Her final residence was Tonganoxie, Kansas, down the road from Brenda.

Memorial contributions may be made in Joyce’s name to Operation Wildlife and may be sent in care of Warren-McElwain Mortuary, 120 W. 13th Street, Lawrence, KS 66044. You may also contribute directly at https://owl-online.org/donate/.