Joyce Griffith

Joyce Griffith, our beloved mother, 86, of Glendale, CA passed away peacefully on March 28th, 2026 surrounded by her loving family.

She was born on January 22, 1940 in Los Angeles, CA to Armenian parents, Leo and Florence Tuckman. She is preceded in death by her beloved brother, Lawrence (20), and her parents. Joyce attended Herbert Hoover High in Glendale and graduated from LA State with a bachelor’s degree in child psychology. She was married to David Griffith for 23 years of Pasadena, CA and had two children, Dr. Ken Griffith, DDS and Karen Nichols. Although an LA girl, her heart was in the Eastern Sierras where she was serendipitously sent in 1967 with her husband to run a campground: Camp High Sierra. This pivotal moment enabled her to spend the next 60 years at “camp” as an employee during most summer months.

Her passions were family, cooking, travel, running the office (both in real estate and camp), hiking and looking for arrowheads. She was most happy looking for bears. She won the hearts of many hundreds of people in both Mammoth and the surrounding areas by her wit, charm, knowledge of the area, grace and positive attitude.

While in LA during the winter months, Joyce worked in real estate much to her father’s delight. She was Ray Dilbeck’s personal assistant for a few years and won “Person of the Year” in 1992 for her service at Dilbeck Realtors. She made many friends in the real estate world and always participated in everyone’s real estate needs for the rest of her life.

Above all, she was best known for her kindness to all people and animals, no matter what. Whether she knew them or they were new in her life, her door was always open. Those lucky enough to be on the receiving end of Joyce’s generosity often enjoyed her immaculate cooking and baked goods. Her passion for travel led her around the world, taking her to places like Machu Picchu or a Kenyan safari. Combining her love of culture and visiting many countries, she channeled true creativity in the kitchen by following and creating recipes curated though her experiences. From hundreds of campers at Camp High Sierra to every holiday gathering both big and small, Joyce expressed her love of life in the kitchen for the last six decades. If she wasn’t giving of her selfless nature in her joy of cooking, her endless giving was evidenced by her numerous donations to over 100 charities. She led a life of gratitude in every phase of life, including those most challenging. In short, Joyce was aptly named, exuding the joy of life until the very end.

Joyce is survived by her children, Ken and Karen, and grandchildren, Remi and Drew. She is an inspiration to all.

A private ceremony was held May 1, 2026 at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to charities aiming to help children, animals, the environment, or any other cause that is close to your heart.

“The clearest way to the universe is through a forest wilderness” -- John Muir

May she rest in peace.