Obituary
JoyceGenevaSaunders(neeRankin)wasbornonJuly20, 1945toJamesandFrankieRankininLosAngeles,CA.She wasraisedinMemphis,TNandwasveryactivethroughout herschoolyears.JoyceparticipatedintheArmyNational DefenseCadetCore-ROTC,gleeclub,schoolchoir,and cheerleading.ShewaswelllovedbytheHamiltonHigh Schoolcommunityandgraduatedin1963.
Joyce’sloveformusic,travel,andfunbeganveryearlyinlife. ShewasanactivememberofCastaliaMissionaryBaptist Churchwhereshesanginthechoir.Asateenager,sheand twochildhoodfriends,“Bucky”andEvelyn,sangbackground forStaxRecordsartistsRufusandCarlaThomasinMemphis, TN.ShealsospenteverysummervisitingfamilyinLos Angeles,CA,andwasknowntobethering-leaderofher crowdoffriends.
Thesepassionswerepasseddowntoherchildren, grandchildren,andallwhoknewher.Wewereblessedto shareahomefilledwithmusicandgoonmanytripstogether. Overtheyearssheandhersistersenjoyedtripsto DisneyLandandDisneyWorld.Anyonewhohadthepleasure ofridingarollercoasterwithhercanstillhearherscreaming, “Ichangedmymind”!
Joycewasourveryown“RosaParks”.DuringherSophomore yearofhighschool,shewasarrestedfornotconformingto the“JimCrow”lawsofthesouth.Thebusdriverdemanded thatshegiveherseatup,movetothebackofthebusorgo tojail.Joycechosetogotojail!Shespentthreehoursin detainmentandwasbailedoutbyhermotherandPastor.
Whilestudyingincollege,shefellinlovewithherfirst husband,WilliamLloydJerome,Jr.Theyweremarriedon December18,1965andtotheirunionWilliamLloydIII,Wesley Lionell,andJacquelineGaylewereborn.Theirunionendedin divorcein1977. Whileraisingheryoungfamily,Joyceworkedherwaythrough theranksofAT&TasanofficemanagerandtheStateof MarylandHealthDepartmentwhereshemademanylifelong friends,Margo,Naomi,andPaula.
DuringthistimeshemetandmarriedAlfredGibson. TheycaredforablendedfamilywhichincludedAlfred’s children:Delicia,Devonia,andShawn.In1996,theydecided topartways.
JoycereceivedsalvationatFullGospvelA.M.E.ZionChurchFromtheHeartChurchMinistriesinTempleHills,MDwhere shegrewandmaturedinGod’sWordundertheteachingsof PastorJohnA.Cherry,Sr.Shelearnedthepowerof forgivenessforselfandothers.Thehealingshereceived allowedhertohavehealthypersonalandprofessional relationshipswithallthosearoundher.
In1999,sheandafamilyfriend,GurvisSaunders,fellinlove andmarriedin2002.Sheenjoyedtakingvacationswithher newfamily,spendingtimewiththeirgrandchildren,fishing, andeatingthecatch!
In2009,theyretiredtoCharlotte,NCandwereabletoenjoy beingclosertomanyfamilymembers,partakeintheir grandchildren’supbringing,taketimetocareforhersister, andservehernewchurchfamily.SisterSaundersservedas thePhysicalStewardshipMinistryHead,helpingtokeepthe
churchcleanformanyyears.Inaddition,sheenjoyedworking withthechildrenduringsummercampandsingingtenorin thechoir.Asecretpowershehadwastheabilitytokeepup witheveryone’sbirthdays,holidays,andspecialoccasions. Everyfamilymemberand/orclosefriendhashadthe pleasureofreceivingagreetingcardwithmoneyorconfetti init.
Joycewasdiagnosedwithdementiain2014andfought valiantlyforovernineyearswiththehelpofherchurch members,family,andfriends.In2018,shemovedinto HamiltonFamilyCareHome,underthecareoftheSaidykhan family.Duringthistime,shewasabletoreceivethelove,care, andattentionshehadshownothersformanyyears.
Joycewasprecededindeathby:herhusband,Gurvis Saunders;parents,JamesandFrankieRankin;brother,James, Jr.;sister,RuthJackson;andson,WilliamLloyd,III.Leftto cherishherpreciousmemoryare:herchildren,Wesley (Sonja),JacquelineRichardson(Christopher)andMakia Benniefield(Adrian);theSaundersfamily,sisters,Dian Townsend,VelmaGrant,RuthannDavis,andHettieLindsey (Henry),JeanRankinKeith,RosalindRankinKeith,brotherIrvin RankinKeith;grandchildren,Winston,Wade,MiChon,Xavier, Hannah,Sydney,Miles,Llorielle,Alexis,Indya,andWesley Michael;twogreat-grandsons,JordanandJu’Elz;andahost offamilyandfriends.
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