Joyce Marie Griffin

May 18, 1953 – November 17, 2014

Joyce Marie Griffin, 61, of Houston passed away peacefully on Monday, November 17, 2014 at Vitas Innovative Hospice at the HealthSouth Facility in Conroe after a valiant struggle with cancer. A memorial service in her honor will be held at Brookside Funeral Home at 13747 Eastex Freeway, Houston, Texas 77039 on Sunday, November 23, 2014 at 3:00pm. Family and friends with gather at 2:00pm to visit and share wonderful memories of Joyce prior to the service.

Joyce was born May 18, 1953 to Emil Joe and Rosie Hildagard (Heinrich) Schilhab in Weimer, Texas. She graduated from Schulenburg High School in 1971 then moved to Houston where she met and married Kyle Sterns in 1972, and was so blessed with her only child, a loving daughter, Jeannie Marie Sterns, on January 11, 1979. Many years after she and Kyle were divorced, Joyce married J. B. Griffin. Joyce was employed with Napa Distribution Center in Houston since January of 1980, just two months shy of 35 years. There she had countless friends, a second family.

Joyce loved Elvis Presley. She collected anything with his name or picture on it that she could get her hands on. She was an incredible cook and absolutely loved to have friends and family over to cook a delicious meal for. She never met a stranger and lived life to the fullest. Her favorite times included friend and family get-togethers, playing dominoes and cards, fishing, singing karaoke, playing her guitar, and knocking back good, cold beers. She loved her friends and many near and dear ones.

Joyce was preceded in death by loving parents Emil and Rosie Schilhab; her only sister, Gloria Jean (Schilhab) Wetz; brother, Eugene Schilhab; sister-in-law, Versie Schilhab; nephew, Randall (Randy) Eugene Schilhab; first husband, Kyle Sterns, and second husband J. B. Griffin.

Joyce is survived by her daughter, Jeannie Marie Sterns and her two loving grandchildren, Austin Jeffrey Wharton, 13, and Haley Marie Wharton, 10; her brothers, Melvin (Boobie) Schilhab and wife Georgie, Wayne Schilhab and wife Gladys, and Calvin Schilhab; nieces, Kathy, Kelly and Sandra (Sandy); nephews, Rodney, Brian and Scott; numerous great nieces and great nephews, and countless friends, including her best friend, Marlene Oliver.

Joyce's family wish to extend their immense gratitude to Marlene Oliver and her family for the special care, love and attention given to Joyce over the years and especially the past several months, and to the wonderful staff at Vitas Hospice, who provided her the opportunity to spend her final days in comfort and dignity.

Joyce will be incredibly missed, but never forgotten.