Frances was born in Inverness, Mississippi to Leroy and Mae Sullivan Tharp. At Inverness High School, she excelled in the classroom and on the court, with tennis and basketball being her favorite sports. She never lost her love of sports—football took center stage in later years, filling her Saturday and Monday evenings. The New Orleans Saints held her loyalty until Sean Payton left, after which she became a Kansas City Chiefs fan.
Frances took great pride in her career in the nursing home industry. A licensed nursing home administrator for many decades and in several states, she traveled the country to ensure facilities provided exceptional care to their residents. Known as a one-woman SWAT team, she would walk into a nursing home, rally the staff, and correct any and every deficiency found. She retired as Director of Risk Management for The Waverley Group, but her passion for the work kept her taking contract assignments for other companies long after. She always joked that she was great at her job, but not so good at retirement. She touched countless lives through her devoted mentorship of her employees and her commitment to the well-being of the residents she served.
That spirit was no more evident than in the way she cared for her husband Ed in his final days.
Frances was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Ed Griffin, as well as her brothers Bobby, Fletcher, and Sammy Tharp. She is survived by her brother Barry (Brenda), her son Glenn (Maureen), and her daughter Cathy Joyner Roberts (Steve). She is also survived by her grandchildren, Adam Griffin (Molly), Eric Griffin (Alex), Catherine Joyner Mejia (Jorge), Thomas Joyner, and Alex Joyner. Her five great-grandchildren, Vincent, Crawford, Annie, Toni, and Gigi, brought her special joy.
Known to her family as Mom and Memaw, Frances was a constant presence in the lives of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. In her final days, she and her family were overjoyed by the outpouring of love from friends, coworkers, neighbors, and so many others she held dear.
The family is eternally grateful to Dr. James Moore and his staff for the tender care they provided and to Dr. Richard Russell for his many years as her physician.
Visitation will be held Thursday, October 15th beginning at 12:30 p.m. at Olde Towne Community Church in Ridgeland, followed by the funeral service at 1:30 p.m. Parking may be limited due to construction. Please carpool if possible.
Memorials may be made to The McCoy House or the American Cancer Society.
