Joyce Athleen Hale, 76, passed away Dec. 24, 2018, at home with family by her side. She was born March 21, 1942, in Jellico, Tenn., to Charles and Evelynn (Williams) Johnson.
Joyce grew up in Tennessee and attended school there. She attended nursing school in Florida, receiving her LPN license. Joyce worked at Desota Memorial Hospital, where she enjoyed taking care of newborns.
Joyce married William (Bill) Hale on Sept. 2, 1958, in Kentucky. They enjoyed 60 years together traveling while her husband was in the military. They had three children, Eddie, Gary and Janet.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Tommy and Billy Johnson; and a grandchild, William (Bill Bill) Hale.
Joyce is survived by her husband, William Hale of the home in Houston; a brother, Charles Johnson and wife, Freda, of Jellico, Tenn.; two sisters, Betty Hale of Gilbert, S.C., and Carolyn Johnson of Smith Grove, Ky.; her children, Eddie Hale and wife, Gwynn, of Arcadia, Fla., Gary Hale and wife, Susan, of Houston, Mo., and Janet Pelaquin-Buckner and husband, Wayne, of Licking, Mo.; 15 grandchildren, Trisha Peeks, Nathan Hale, Derrick Hale, Heather Hale, Gary (Bubba) Hale, Sherry Dooley, Bryan Ammons, Amber Dailing, Dustin Pelaquin, Lindsay Koch, Leslie Jones, Brian Yaugnn, Adam Hale, Megan Morland, Becky Morelan and Emalee Tarach; 23 great-grandchildren; and a brother-in-law, Kyle Hale and wife, Shirley, of Houston, Mo.
Joyce was a member of Tropic Isles Baptist Church in North Fort Myers, Fla.
She loved sewing, quilting and junking. Joyce enjoyed seeing what all treasures she could find. She was always free spirited and independent. Joyce was a loving wife, giving mother and grandmother and will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
A celebration of life is 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, 2018, at Evans Funeral Home with Pastor Russ Stigall officiating. Cremation was under the direction of Evans Funeral Home.
Donations are suggested to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, Tenn., 38105, in lieu of floral arrangements. To send an expression of sympathy, go to www.evansfh.com.
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