Joy Miller York's Obituary
Joy Miller York, a beloved mother, grandmother and friend, peacefully passed away on September 20, 2017 at her home in Edmond, Oklahoma. She was 80.Born on February 12, 1937 in Dallas, TX, Joy (as she was called) grew up with her parents, William and Leona; older brother, Buddy; older sister, Darlene; and younger brother, Bobby.After completing her senior year of high school, she married the love of her life, John Herbert York, Jr., on July 9, 1954. In 1956, their first child, Randy, was born; Cindy, Angie, Dana and Kyle followed in the years to come. In her early married years, Joy worked as a secretary at Southwestern Bell in Dallas. In the 60s-and while raising five young children-she served as a music secretary for First Baptist Church in Garland, TX, where the family worshipped, and later as a music secretary at Royal Lane Baptist Church in Dallas. Herb, who was a manager at Ogden Allied Maintenance Corp., was relocated to Oklahoma City in 1972 and the York’s became members of First Baptist Church of OKC.Joy was a stay-at-home mom during her kids’ teenage years; she later got a job in the Department of Childcare for the Baptist General Convention, where she worked until she, Herb and fifteen-year-old Kyle moved back to Texas in 1982. There, Joy continued her work for the church as the office manager at the Baptist Foundation, where she remained until her retirement in 1999. A great lover of the arts, Joy especially enjoyed music and painting. She was a regular fixture in her church choirs, and her grandchildren remember her as a big fan of Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli. She was also a truly talented watercolorist and shared her skills with several of her grandchildren who were eager to learn from their Mimi; churches and flowers were her favorite subjects to paint. When she wasn’t perched at her drafting table, she could probably be found tending her gardens or sitting in her favorite chair with a bowl of popcorn and a crossword puzzle.Joy relished her role as the matriarch of the York clan, especially as it grew even larger with the addition of spouses, grand and great-grandchildren. Many a Christmas were spent around the blue countertops of her longtime home in Plano, Texas. Joy is preceded in death by her parents, William and Leona, her husband Herb, her brothers Buddy and Bobby Miller, her sister Darlene Miller Downs, her grandson Ryan York and her son-in-law Tommy Davis. She is survived by her son Randy York and his wife Jean, her daughter Cindy Anderson and her husband Jimi, her daughter Angie Hopkins and her husband Tim, her daughter Dana Davis and her son Kyle York and his wife Jalyn, as well as by ten grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.The York’s would like to thank longtime family friend Kelly Hoffman, who was Joy’s primary caregiver in the final years of her life. Kelly’s kindness and compassion brought great relief to Joy, whom Kelly considered a second mother.Joy will be laid to rest in the Garden of the Holy Family at Restland Memorial Park in Dallas, TX. Services are Saturday, September 30, 2017 at 10:30 am at the First Baptist Church of Garland, Texas. Visitation with the family will be one hour prior to the service.In lieu of flowers and for those who feel inclined, donations can be made to the following charities in Joy’s memory: Alzheimer’s Association (ALZ.org) P.O. Box 96011 Washington, DC 20090 Children’s Ministry at First Baptist Church Garland (FBCGarland.org) 801 W. Avenue D.
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