Joyce Mae Collins was born in Midland, Texas, on December 26, 1943, to Frank Williams and Johnnie-Mae Jenkins. Her mother died when she was 9 years old, and she and her sisters were adopted by their mother’s sister, Mrs. Peggy Williams of Vernon, Texas. Raised in Vernon, Joyce graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in 1962.
Joyce accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior at an early age. As a young girl, Joyce joined and was a member of New Hope Baptist Church in Vernon. As an adult, Joyce came under the watch-care of Pastor Ernest C. Brown at St. John Missionary Baptist Church (SJMBC) in Springfield, Ohio. While at SJMBC, she participated in a small group study of Rick Warren’s The Purpose Driven Life.
On July 12, 1963, Joyce married James E. Collins and embarked on a journey as a Military spouse, where she raised two sons at various locations around this country and the globe. She took great pride in being a military spouse and was formally recognized by the U.S. Air Force for her contributions to various base volunteer organizations. She enjoyed traveling and attending her son’s and grandchildren’s sporting events.
Joyce passed away on March 13, 2024.
Joyce was preceded in death by her parents; Frank Williams and Johnnie-Mae Jenkins, Peggy Williams, her two sisters; Mary L. Jones and Thelma Brown, and grandson Dennis-Michael.
Left to cherish her memory is her husband James of 60 years, two beloved sons; Shawn (Marife) and Erick (Sabrina), three sisters; Peggy Fulton and Almeda Griffin of Houston, Texas, and Judy Reese (Bennie) of Waxahachie, Texas, sister-in-law Doris Lynette Johnson (Jeffrey), grandchildren; Ebone’, Princeton, Reacel, Anthony, Adrian, Erick (Jazmin), Braylin, and RieNoel (Maricel), great-grandchildren; David-James,
Evelynn Rae Marie, Remington, Taliyah-Elise Marie, and Shiloh, maternal brother and sisters; Marilyn Smith of Vernon, Texas, Leo Richardson, Arsenia Woodard, and Mary Baylock Stampline Richardson of Odessa, Texas, and Brenda Richardson of Midland, Texas, along with a whole host of loving nieces and nephews.
