Joyce Sullivan Smith

Joyce Sullivan Smith passed from this earthly life to her eternal home in heaven November 19, 2022, at the age of 91. A visitation will take place 5-7 p.m. on Tuesday, November 22, at Memory Chapel in Laurel. The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Wednesday, November 23, at Sandersville Baptist Church, 417 N. Front Street, Sandersville, MS, followed by interment at Erata Cemetery. Joyce was born on December 26, 1930, in Smith County, to parents Lewis and Lora Holdcroft Sullivan. Her family moved to the Sharon community in Jasper County when she was 10. Joyce graduated from Sharon High School in 1949. She worked for Life Insurance Company of Georgia for two years. She married George A. Smith in 1951. They moved around for many years, living in California, Laurel, Baton Rouge, Fayette, Vicksburg, Mobile, Laurel, New Orleans, Tampa, Hattiesburg, Vicksburg, and finally back to Laurel in 1979. Joyce retired from Laurel City Schools in 1996, having worked as a secretary at the central office, Lamar Elementary, and Oak Park Elementary. She was a member of Sandersville Baptist Church, where she was a Sunday School teacher for many years. If you knew Joyce Smith, you knew that you were loved by her. Her love for the Lord was demonstrated by the life she lived. She always thought of other people rather than herself, and she was always looking for ways to serve those around her. If you are reading these words, I’m sure that she has prayed for you earnestly at some point in this life. She loved God’s Word, her family, friends, reading, cooking and worship. Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; George, her husband of 62 years; daughter, Becky Webb; son George Alan Smith; daughter-in-law Ruth Schmidt Smith; brothers Charles, Norman, Terry, and Daniel Sullivan. She is survived by her sister, Laverne Sullivan Maddox (Bill), and brother Larry Sullivan (Julender); sons Chris Smith (Marci McGrath) of Metairie, LA, and Marty Smith (Carol), of Chatham, VA; son-in-law Rex Webb, of Philadelphia, MS; and former daughter-in-law Gloria Bass. She has 10 grandchildren: Sarah Smith Cook (Alex), Jeffrey Smith, Rachel Webb Harbarger (Claude), Miriam Webb Medlin (Michael), Thomas Webb, Andy Smith, Donny Smith (Tiffany), Jennifer Smith Remington (Patrick), Rebecca Bezou, and Jason Bezou (Sara). She has 17 great-grandchildren: Jackson and Claire Cook; Benson Parsons Smith; Lois, Claude, and Caleb Harbarger; Maggie and George Medlin; Shane Smith; Izabella and Joey Muraca, and Casey Stewart; Laura and Gray Alan Remington; and Isabella, Elizabeth, and Katherine Bezou. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to Sandersville Baptist Church. Memory Chapel in Laurel is in charge of the arrangements. Friends and family may view or sign the online guestbook at https://www.memorychapellaurel.com.

Joyce Sullivan Smith

December 26, 1930 - November 19, 2022