Joyce Stephens

Joyce Ann Brown Stephens, 78, died on Thursday, April 19, 2018 at The Meadows in Fulton. She was bornon July 16, 1939 to Elmer Lee and Letha Dean Brown. She grew up and attended school in the Bigbee Community and she was married to Ray Stephens for 20 years. Graduating third in her class, Mrs. Stephens received her LPN degree at 43 years old, afterward having a perfect score on her state board licensing exam. She was a master seamstress also enjoying gardening and her flower beds. Mrs. Stephens loved to read and work crossword puzzles. Funeral services for Mrs. Stephens will be at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 21, 2018 at Cleveland-Moffett Funeral Home in Amory with Bro. Rickey Jones and Bro. Wesley Stephens officiating. Burial will be in the Maxey Cemetery. Survivors include two sons, Tim Blake (Susan) and Tommy Ray Blake (Teresa); 4 daughters, Sharon Dykes, Charlotte Jones (Rickey), Tonya Thompson (Tim), and Amanda Dabbs (David); one sister, Wanda Webb; special niece, Janice Francis; 11 grandchildren; 17 great grandchildren; 2 great great grandchildren; step children, Bridget Lee, Karen Knight, Terry Stephens, and Tim Stephens; and a host of step grandchildren, step great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ray Stephens; one brother, Johnny Mac Brown; sister, Mae Bickerstaff; grandchildren, Bridget Dykes, Chris “Buck” Jones, and Heather Thompson; and a great grandchild, Jesse Ray Dykes. Pallbearers will be Justin Dykes, Nathan Blake, Levi Blake, Blake Thompson, Josh Hester, and Jon Eric Dykes. Honorary pallbearers will be Brady Dabbs and Eric Blake. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, DC 20090-6011 or to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, P.O. Box 1000, Dept 300, Memphis, TN 38148-0552. Condolences may be expressed with the family at clevelandmoffettfuneralhome.com