Joe Anna Griggs

Joe Anna Griggs

March 4, 1932 ~ December 31, 2020 (age 88)

Joe Anna Griggs (Madea) was born March 4, 1932 to Mandy Woods Ammons and Allen Ammons in Whiteville, TN. She was the fourth child born to this union.

Her funeral service was held on Saturday January 9, 2021 at 1:00 pm in the Bethlehem MB Church Cemetery with Reverend Ricky Griggs in charge and Dixie Funeral Home www.dixiefuneralhome.com was in charge of the professional service.  

She was preceded in death by her husband of fifty-five years, Luther Griggs, Sr., two sons: Terry B. Griggs, and Elvis L. Griggs and two daughters: Vivian Griggs Jenkins-Williams and Wanda Griggs Polk.

Early in life, she confessed a hope in Jesus Christ and attended Johnson Chapel C.M.E. Church in Whiteville, TN. Later, she joined Bethlehem M.B. Church where she remained a faithful member until her demise. She was immensely proud that she was a co-founder and co-sponsor of the Young Junior Usher Program which is still in existence at the church today. She was united in holy matrimony to Luther Griggs Sr. in 1949. This union was blessed with twelve children, six boys and six girls. She took pride in telling others that “We have raised twelve children and four grandchildren and educated all of them”. The grandchildren that she raised are Cawona Perry, Dr. April Allen, Rod and Ralph Griggs, and Brad Polk until he moved to Texas.

Likewise, after the death of her sister-in-law, whom she loved dearly, she also was a mother image to her two children, Helen Johnson, and Dorothy Patton who she helped to nurture and guide throughout the years.

She was educated and employed in Hardeman County. She worked at Western Mental Health Institute for thirty years. After she retired, she worked as a Foster Grandparent at Whiteville Elementary School for twenty plus years until her health begin to fail. She loved working at the school and assisting the teachers with students. In fact, she had found her TRUE CALLING. She looked forward to working at the school each day.

She leaves to cherish her journey of 88 years, four sons: Luther Griggs, Jr. (Jean), Zackery Griggs, Presley Griggs (Verna), and Derrell Griggs of Bolivar, TN and four daughters: Elizabeth Boyd (Charles), Mamie Polk (Thomas), Dr. Yvonne G. Allen, of Bolivar, TN; and Diane Jeffries (Len) of Jackson, TN; two special nieces like daughters: Helen Johnson of Bolivar, TN and Dorothy Patton (Robert) of Cordova, TN; loving 24 grandchildren, 35 greatgrandchildren and 4 great great-grandchildren; and Godson, Myron Parham, one sister-in-law: Ella Mae Taylor (Renard) of Rockford, IL., her Memphis, TN Children: Lovell Jones, Michael Jones (Velma), Edna Chandlier, Nathaniel Jones, Darrel Brooks, Frank Kirkland and Memphis, TN grandchildren, a multitude of loving nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. Also, Special Friends: Cleo Cheairs Polk, Helen Messenger, and Faye Bufford.

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