Leila Turner Griffith

Leila Turner Griffith, of Jacksonville, Florida, passed peacefully surrounded by her family, Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at Baptist Medical Center Community Hospice. Born February 19, 1948 in Athens, GA, she is predeceased by her parents, Mary and Fred Griffith, Jr. formerly of Jekyll Island, GA.

Leila was educated at White Station High School in Memphis, TN, Brenau University in Gainesville, GA, and Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA. She was also a student of the UGA Italian Art Program in Florence, Italy. She started a career in mail order catalog merchandising that lasted over 30 years taking her to Atlanta, GA, New York City, NY, Los Angeles, CA, Minneapolis, MN, Longmont, CO, and Washington, DC, serving clients at Blockbuster, Frederick’s of Hollywood, National Geographic, the Smithsonian, and numerous other prominent companies. She worked at The Bascom Center for the Visual Arts, Highlands, NC, as the designer, facilitator, merchandiser, and staffing of the gallery shop. In late 2016 she retired to Jacksonville, FL. She took a part time job at the first Trader Joe’s in Mandarin and when COVID slammed the world she decided to spend more time on her personal art journey devoting her past few years to art exploration and education. She also spent her last working experience at The Cummer Museum and Gardens gift shop.

Leila was a member of the board of managers of the Art Center Cooperative and the Jacksonville Artists Guild, as well as the First Coast Plein Air Painters. Her work has been accepted in many local juried exhibits including the Vandroff Art Gallery at the Jewish Community Alliance, the Jacksonville Public Library, TAC (The Art Center), CoRK, and SoGlo Gallery in Brunswick, GA. She was a member of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of Florida.

Leila is survived by her sisters, LaGrange Griffith Gippe (Harold) Atlantic Beach, FL, Laura Griffith Hambrecht (Michael), Thornton, CO, brother, E. Frederick Griffith, III (Melissa) Brunswick, GA, nieces, Wimberly Griffith Meyer (Randy), Manhattan Beach, CA, Rachel Griffith Chiachiere (Zach), Colorado Springs, CO, and Emmeline Griffith, Brunswick, GA; nephews Bryan Hambrecht, Thornton, CO, and Dallas Hambrecht, Denver, CO. Surviving also are greatnephews Trussell Meyer, Luca Chiachiere, Collin Chiachiere and great-niece Libby Meyer. She will also be greatly missed by her beloved canine Twiggy.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Jacksonville Humane Society or a charity of your choosing.