Joan King Griffin

Joan King Griffin passed away peacefully in her home in Harrisville, Utah, on July 22, 2023, at the age of 88. She was born on July 12, 1935, in Logan, Utah, to Leora Wiser and LaVere King. She began life as a two-pound premature baby facing health challenges early and throughout her life. She grew up in Lewiston, Utah, living close to her married older brothers and sisters. Their children (Sonja, Michael, and Sharon) became Joan’s lifelong friends. She attended elementary and middle school in Lewiston, and North Cache High School in Logan, where Joan met Bruce Griffin.  They became high school sweethearts.  Following Bruce’s missionary service for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, they married on May 2, 1958, in the Logan LDS Temple. Joan briefly attended Utah State University, leaving to work as a cashier at Lewiston State Bank while her husband finished his degree at Utah State University.

Joan faced many health issues throughout her life. Schizophrenia was a constant presence, but she mastered it through faith and courage, learning to compartmentalize things that were not real. She focused on the things most important to her: creating a strong and loving home and family, while also leaving a positive influence on both her community and her church. Joan’s proudest accomplishment was her family, who remembers her for her kind words, unquestioning faith, and unconditional love. Her empathy for those around her touched the hearts and souls of those she knew and enabled the success of her husband Bruce Griffin by creating an environment in which all of her family was nurtured and loved.

Joan was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, and one sister, and is survived by her sister Ramona Bingham. Joan is survived by Bruce, her loving husband of 65 years.  Joan was a devoted wife; proud mother to Suzanne (Garth) Doxey, Julie (Blair) Van Wagoner, and JB (Andrea) Griffin; loving grandmother to Jennifer (Kaydon) Lloyd, Heather (Jon) Miller, Joshua Doxey, Ashley (Shane) Cavanaugh, AJ (Engela) Van Wagoner, Alexandria (Peter) Despain, Sydney Griffin, and Garrett (Alexis Wood) Griffin; and great-grandmother of 13 great grandchildren.

Her family would like to extend a special thanks to the services of Bristol Hospice, whose compassion, sensitivity, and skill provided comfort to Joan and Bruce and carried the family through a difficult time. The family would like to send their love and thanks to Ashley and Dixie, whose loving care, emotional support, and insight will always be cherished.

Funeral Services will be on Friday, July 28, 2023, at 11:00 a.m., at Lindquist North Ogden Mortuary, 2140 N. Washington Blvd., Ogden UT. Friends may visit with family Thursday, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., and Friday 9:30 to 11:30 at the mortuary.  Interment at Clarkston Cemetery, Clarkston UT.

Memorial contributions in honor of Joan are suggested to: philanthropies.churchofjesuschrist.org/humanitarian-services.

Services will be live-streamed and available the day of the services by scrolling to the bottom of Joan’s obituary page.

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