Joyce DeMoss Oliver

She was born May 23, 1938, in Houston, Texas to the late Charles Fannin DeMoss, Sr. and Willie “Pauline” Briley DeMoss.

On April 18, 1959, she was united in marriage to William “Bill” Claude Oliver.

After graduating from Milby High School and Massey Business College, Joyce was introduced to Bill Oliver through a mutual friend on a blind double date at the Red Bluff Drive-in in South Houston. Joyce and Bill dated for approximately six weeks when Bill asked Joyce to marry him. Bill was on leave from a work assignment in Tripoli, Libya (North Africa), and was to report back to work. He thought Joyce was exactly what he was looking for in a wife, and he knew that if he waited to ask her to marry him at a later date, she would not be available! Joyce and Bill were married at the Justice of the Peace’s house and left for a short trip to Ohio and then on to their grand adventures overseas that lasted for the next eight years until they returned to Houston, Texas.

During their time in Libya, Joyce and Bill traveled to Paris, Naples, London, Malta, Frankfurt, Benghazi, Tunis and more. They took several transatlantic voyages from New York to Naples, Italy. On one occasion, they took their 1965 White Chevy Corvair with them on The Queen Elizabeth. In addition, they hired an Italian tutor for Joyce and a French tutor for Bill before they took off on a tour through Europe.

Joyce and Bill were expert bowlers who were part of a couple’s bowling league. They enjoyed dancing the jitterbug and twist as well as having house parties and attending business events with their work friends who became like family. The time they had overseas was among the best memories that carried them their whole live through as these friends became family who keep in touch to this day.

Joyce and Bill were self-employed in the oil field service industry where they worked side-by-side until their retirement. Joyce served as the Executive Vice President and Bill served as the President for their company that had 280 employees. Bill thought that Joyce could do anything and get anything accomplished. Together, they made an amazing team of leaders.

Surviving are her children: Susan Brenz of Cypress, Texas, and Michael Oliver and wife Michelle Oliver of Cypress, Texas; four grandchildren: Dr. Samantha Palmer of Troy, Alabama, Brittany Oliver of Cypress, Texas, Justin Oliver of Boston, Massachusetts, and Stephen Hudson of Cypress, Texas. In addition, she has five great grandchildren: Eliana and Oliver Higginbotham of Cypress, Texas and James, Gray, and Mackenzie Palmer of Troy, Alabama. Surviving is her brother Reverend Jimmy DeMoss, Sr. of Texarkana, Texas, who is officiating the funeral services, along with her nieces and nephews: Jimmy DeMoss, Jr., Sharon Brower, Susan Watson, Lisa Johnson, and Michael DeMoss, along with numerous grand nieces and nephews.

In addition to her late parents, Joyce was preceded in death by her oldest brother, Former Deputy Chief of the Houston Fire Department, Charles Fannin DeMoss, Jr. of Splendora, Texas. She has two nephews: Randall DeMoss and Layne DeMoss, along with her grand nephews.

A memorial service will be held at Brookside Funeral Home - Champions at 3410 Cypress Creek Parkway in Houston, Texas 77068, on Saturday, February 3, 2024, from 3-4pm. The family will receive friends from 11am-3pm on Saturday, February 3, 2024, preceding the memorial service. A private burial with immediate family will follow at Houston National Cemetery at 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive in Houston, Texas, in the week following the memorial service.

Joyce Oliver was a strong advocate for ensuring that all children have something to eat, so the family has asked for donations to be made in her name to the following: CFISD Food Production Center at 11355 Perry Road in Houston, Texas 77064 to the attention of Suzy Hunter, Angel Account Administrator.