Joy Campbell Engel

Joy grew up in San Antonio and Austin. She graduated from Anderson High School where she excelled academically, but her proudest achievement was being named class clown of her senior class. She graduated from Pepperdine University where she traveled extensively in her studies. Many, many of Joy's lifelong friends are from her high school and college days.

After graduating, Joy taught school in Austin and Manor. She was a classroom teacher, a special ed teacher, a dyslexia specialist and a reading interventionist. Joy's superpower was teaching kids to read and one of her greatest accomplishments was creating Camp Fun Brain, a summer reading camp for kids with reading difficulties. In 2022 she started a podcast, Incurable Joy, about living a joyful life in difficult circumstances.

Joy's happiest times were spent with family. Her two daughters, Carolyn (13) and Lydia (5) were her world. She delighted in sharing funny stories of Lydia's antics, and she loved watching Carolyn mature into an independent thinker who Joy always said is equal parts tenderhearted and brilliant. Joy was the best mom! She was patient and nurturing and fun. She encouraged her girls to try new things and taught them to love reading as she did. Vacations, campouts, and long road trips were always a priority. Carolyn and Lydia will miss her terribly.

Joy is survived by her precious daughters, Carolyn and Lydia Engel and their father Michael Engel; her parents John and Carolyn Campbell; her brother David Campbell and sister-in-law Jamie; her sister Gina Johnson; and nieces and nephews Mason Campbell, Casey Burns, Miles and Brynnly Pinkston.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Fight Colorectal Cancer, an amazing group based in Springfield, MO dedicated to advancing treatment for patients like Joy. Donations in Joy's memory will be designated for research into early onset, young adult colorectal cancer: www.fightcolorectalcancer.org

Visitation is 5-8 PM Thursday, June 15th. The service is at 1 PM Friday, June 16th at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home, 5416 Parkcrest Dr, Austin, TX 78731.