Joan Griffith

Joan Carol Griffith was a dedicated woman with big heart and generous spirit. Her first priority was her family, yet her friends figured prominently in her quality of life. She liked having people around her and was attentive to their needs. Still, she knew what she wanted and didn’t mind being called a “stubborn Swede.” Joan lived her life on full throttle yet had a calming influence on her family. Such was the beauty of a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend.

Joan was born in Duluth, Minnesota during the Great Depression, when families were struggling to survive yet managing to make life pleasant by their resilient spirit and hopeful outlook. John and Irene (Peterson) Bolander was such a family, made all the more happy at the birth their fifth child, Joan Carol, on September 16, 1934. John supported his growing family as a butcher while Irene cared for their five children at home.

Perhaps because she was the youngest, Joan was a bit shy, but she made friends easily and her athletic ability ensured that she had plenty of activity. She liked school and was a good student. At the same time, Joan balanced grades with fun and especially enjoyed hanging out with friends after school at the A&W root beer stand. She maintained her social life while keeping her eye on the goal of graduating from Denfield High in Duluth in 1952.

Joan was dating someone else when she met the man who would become her husband. Kenneth Leroy Griffith was on leave from the US Air Force when he laid eyes on Joan at the local USO. It was love at first sight for both of them. Then Joan had the difficult task of breaking up with her boyfriend, but she never looked back. When Ken returned to Hawaii where he was stationed, he mailed an engagement ring to Joan, and the two married a month later on February 26, 1954 in Hawaii. What a more enchanted place could they continue their romance as they settle into married life!

Their first child, James, was born in Hawaii, and when Joan and Ken moved to California, their daughter Katherine was born. Once Ken completed his military duty, the family moved to St. Johns, Michigan, where their daughter Patricia was born. Joan loved being a mother and showed deep affection for her children. Selflessly, she not only looked after her family’s wellbeing, she extended her kindness to pets and to friends at card parties or other gatherings. Tuesday evenings were family night, when everyone was around for dinner, but any day of the week Ken and the kids feasted on Joan’s baked goods. She became well known around the neighborhood for baking mountains of cookies and delivering them to friends.

Joan didn’t mind spoiling her family, and that behavior only increased when she became a grandmother. Joan loved, loved her grandchildren and cared for them with a generous heart. Her depth of love was especially evident when her beloved Ken began to suffer the effects of Agent Orange, a chemical used by the US military to defoliate forested areas during the Vietnam War. Joan willingly focused her time and attention on Ken until his death on February 21, 2005.

Joan battled her own illness when, in 2013, she was diagnosed with cancer. Yet, true to her character, she remained strong and never complained.

Joan Carol Griffith, age 79 of St. Johns, Michigan, died Tuesday, September 2, 2014. She is survived by her children, James (Dawn) Griffith, Katherine (John) Love and Patricia Griffith all of St. Johns, 7 grandchildren, Erik Love, Kristin (Dan) Slough, Jamie (Riley) Thelen, Kaitlyn (Anthony) Sickelka, Haley Griffith, Hilary Griffith and Cole Thomas, 1 great grandson, Kelton Slough, brother, Pete Bolander, special niece Bobbi Jean (Alex) Sisto, sister-in-law, Carol (Greg) Bauer and brother-in-law, Edward (Carol) Griffith, as well as many nieces and nephews. Along with her husband Kenneth, she was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Athlyn Gardner and brothers, Darwin Bolander and Gordon Bolander.

Funeral Services will be 11:00 a.m. Saturday, September 6th at St. Johns Lutheran Church, where Joan was a member, with Dr. Bryan Salminen officiating. Burial to follow at Mt. Rest Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home Friday, 6-8 p.m. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Johns Lutheran Church. To learn more about Joan and view her Life Story film, please visit her personal webpage at www.lifestorynet.com/memories/101779. The family is being served by the Osgood Funeral Homes.