Joyce Ann "Joy" Bowman-De La Vega "Morning Star"

Joyce Ann “Joy” “Morning Star” Bowman-De La Vega, 72, of Staunton went to be with the Great Spirit on Sunday, June 26, 2016. She was born in Charlottesville on September 16, 1943, a daughter of the late Lloyd and Agnes Bowman. Joy was proud of her Cherokee descent, which she found through her love of genealogy. She was accepted as a member of the Cherokee Tribe of Texas. Along with her husband, Joy was the founder of and served as an Elder for the Intertribal Native American Agency in Texas. As an Elder, she performed many traditional Native American ceremonies and was given her Native American name, Morning Star. Morning Star took great pride in learning and teaching people about the culture and crafts of her ancestors. She greatly enjoyed Native American beadwork and was an amazing seamstress. As a proud Cherokee warrior, Joy served in the United States Air Corps. She was a member of the American Legion in Texas. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her grandson, Joshua Faulhaber. Survivors include her husband of 13 years, Ignacio “Nachie” “Mantai” De La Vega; her three daughters, Lori Brooks and husband, Roger, Lisa Faulhaber and husband, Greg, and Marie Hughes and husband, John; five step sons, Steve, Randy, Michael, David and Chris De La Vega; nine grandchildren; three step grandchildren; 11 great grandchildren; siblings, Lloyd Bowman, Jr. and wife, Ann, Charlie Bowman and wife, Sharon, Linda Mae Lucas, Sandra Kay Davis and husband, Mitchell, and Donna Faye Rankin; tribal family members, Tom and Juanita Zermano, Milo Colton, Richard “Nate” Luna, Miguel Sanchez, Gabriel Carrasco and Noe Galvan; as well as numerous extended family, tribal family, and friends. A celebration of life and memorial gathering will be held from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Friday, July 1, 2016 at the Waynesboro Chapel of Reynolds Hamrick Funeral Homes. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Southwest Indian Foundation online by visiting www.southwestindian.com/foundation/donations or by calling 1 800-504-2723. The family would like to express a heartfelt thank you to the staff at King’s Daughters Rehabilitation Center. Relatives and friends may share condolences and memories with the family online by visiting www.reynoldshamrickfuneralhomes.com.