“This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it”, was Mama Lee’s favorite verse from Psalm 118:24. Joyce Talley Lee, 89, of Columbus, Georgia, peacefully went to be with her Savior on July 11th, 2023 due to congestive heart failure. Her final days were spent at home surrounded by family and friends that Joyce had touched throughout her long and memorable life.
Mrs. Lee was born on April 10, 1934 in Atlanta, Georgia, to Elijah “Duncan” and Eva Stephens Talley. She has worked hard her whole life, first working at a Five and Ten-Cent store when she was 13. She first attended Grace Methodist Church in Atlanta. After high school she continued her education at Young Harris College for one year before attending Georgia State to study business. She then worked at Retail Credit Company, soon arising to the position of supervisor. She married Sanford Douglas Lee, Jr. on March 17, 1962, with whom she had two daughters, JoyLynn and Kelli Myers. She and Douglas moved to Columbus in 1964 and were members of Striplin Terrace United Methodist Church. Later they moved to Albany, Georgia, for four years and attended Sherwood Baptist Church, before returning to Columbus and joining Edgewood Baptist Church. Douglas and Joyce have also been members of Morningside Baptist, Calvary Baptist, and most recently are members at Wynnbrook Baptist Church in Columbus. She and Douglas were proud members of the Mixed Nuts Sunday School Class at Wynnbrook. This last year she “retired” from teaching Sunday School and greeted at the door with a warm smile.
Joyce enjoyed ministering to her family, friends, and community. She was a deeply devoted wife, mother, homemaker, and grandmother. She was a voracious reader. Besides her family, the Bible was the central focus of her life. She taught Biblical Studies for over 70 years, from the age of 17 until last year. She taught all ages between third grade to College and Career, mainly known as the fifth-grade Sunday School teacher. She began church libraries, wedding ministries, and ministries to internationals. She was an adoring grandmother to 12, and great-grandmother to two. She was a two-time cancer survivor.
Joyce is survived by her loving husband, Sanford Douglas Lee, Jr. of Columbus, Georgia; daughters JoyLynn Bethea (John) and Kelli Lee Ferguson (Gary); grandchildren Elizabeth Joy (Paul Lavallee), Jonathan (Bethany), Peter (Anna Grace), MaryKelli (engaged to John Michael Lane), Lizette, Chambers (Chelsie), Samuel (Cheney), Karla, Kelli, John, Ben, and Emily; great-grandchildren Helen Claire and Jack Wells; sister-in-law Peggy Lee of Newnan, Georgia; niece Wanda Gayle Talley and her children Lydia and Elijah, and niece Deborah Lynn. Most recently she sentimentally “adopted” Paul Knight Bone (“PK”) as the son she never had.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Duncan and Eva, two brothers, Jack and Jim, and nephew, Greg Talley.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Preferred Care Hospice Foundation, 1921 Whittlesey Rd., Suite 110, Columbus GA 31904, (706) 844-1619 AND/OR to Valley Rescue Mission, 2903 2nd Avenue, Columbus GA 31904, (706) 322-8267.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.shcolumbus.com for the Lee family.
