Joyce Faye McGee

Our Dear Joyce Faye graced the world with her beautiful presence on September 20, 1934 in Huntsville (Grimes County) Texas. She was born to the parental care of the late Mary Holiday and Ira G. Bookman. She completed her formal education in Richards and Houston ISD.

Being an only child, Joyce Faye had a strong bond with her cousins, and they became the Brothers and Sisters that she didn’t have. Her late Uncle Rev. Willie Eddie Holiday and her late Aunt Annie Marie Holiday were instrumental in nurturing her spiritual life. Joyce was baptized at Greater Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Fifth Ward under the leadership of the late Rev. L. P. Pointer. She later became a member of Greater True Light Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Dr. Willie Morrison. She served faithfully on the Nurse’s Aide Board and the Sick Committee. It was her God- given assignment with these auxiliaries that brought her so much joy. She was always ready and eager to visit the sick and shut in. When her health declined and she couldn’t attend church, she remained faithful to the Noon Day Prayer Hour, and to the covenant which she made with her church until GOD summoned her Home.

Joyce had a heart to love and care for children. This passion gave birth to her in-home day care center which she started in 1974 and operated independently for nearly two decades. Joyce loved family and friend gatherings and loved preparing food for them. She often would say “no one will ever leave my home with an empty stomach or an empty hand.” Throughout her adult life, she became Mother, Mom, Mama, Granny, Great-Granny to so many people because she was so easy to love.

Joyce was the loving Wife of the late Princie Lee McGee. She was blessed to be the Mother to 5 daughters, Deborah Davis, Marilyn Hudson, Cathy Johnson, Cheryl (Gerald) Gary and Dawn (Audry) Shephard; Other Mom to 2 Sons, Cedric (Annie) Fears and Reginald (Sylvia) Fears; a beloved Grandmother to Terrence (Latasha) Walker, Kenny Davis Jr., Vaneishia Shapale (Adrian) Wynn, Dominique Gary, Desmond Gary, Derrick Johnson, Audry Shephard, Jr., James Shephard, Donte Shephard; an honored Great-Grandmother to Amari Jones, Kameron Walker, Lauryn Wynn, Dominic Walker, Emma Williams, Asani Shephard, Andrea Shephard, Adrian Wynn (A.J.) II; Great-Great-Grandmother to Logan Jones Curry.

Joyce departed this life on Thursday, May 18, 2023. Along with her children and grandchildren, she leaves to celebrate her life, her Brother- in-Law, James (Willie)

McGee of Shreveport, La; Sister-in-Law, Katherine McGee of Shreveport, La; her Step-Brother, Howard Gray of California; her life-long friend, Oscar Harrison; her Caregiver, Kay Diaz; her Nephew/Son, Roger Ashley; her Sister-Cousins, Annie Love and Rosie (Marshall, Sr.) Calhoun; and many other relatives and friends. She was also preceded in death by her Step-Sister, Helen Bookman- Russell of Oakland California, Son-in-Law Ester Van Hudson of Houston and Grandson Marke Williams-Gary of Houston.