Joyce Isham Chapman

Joyce was a life long resident of Nashville, growing up in North Nashville and graduating from North High School, where she was a cheerleader and member of the student council. She was proud of her Scot-Irish ancestry and often shared that her family are descendants of Timothy Demonbreun. After graduation, she went to work for South Central Bell and worked in accounts receivable. After a few years, she took a leave to raise two sons, but later returned to the workforce and later retired from “the phone company”. She was a faithful member of West Nashville Heights Church of Christ which later became Charlotte Heights Church.

She loved her family and enjoyed nothing more than spending time with her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. She hosted countless birthday parties, holidays, bridal and baby showers. The grandkids could always count on a special cake for birthdays, dying Easter eggs and baking Christmas cookies. Some of the family favorites were her sausage pinwheels and cinnamon rolls. When Grama picked you up from school, she always had a small green cooler filled with snacks and drinks. It was impossible to leave her house hungry and if you did, it was your own fault! If feeding people were a love language, it would definitely have been hers!

Her favorite color was green which matched her green thumb. Gardening was a special time and she loved growing anything. She was especially proud of her hydrangeas and irises.

She also loved going to the beach. Five generations of her family made trips to the Isle of Palms, SC. And while she never got above ankle level in the water she kept a watchful eye from the shore. She walked the beach with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, collecting shells and driftwood. Sand dollars and angel wings were her very favorite shells.

After years of battling dementia and Alzheimers, she is reunited in heaven with her parents, Clifford P. Isham and Louise Smith Isham; husband of 60 years, Henry Keller Chapman; a son, Kevin Paul Chapman, and sister Jackie Helton.

She is survived by a son, Henry Keller Chapman, Jr. (Julia); daughter in law, Libby Chapman, granddaughters, Kristin Chapman Davis (Matt), Kelley Chapman Rankin (Lee), Melody Lunsford and Mandy Johnson; grandsons, Henry Keller Chapman, III (Catherine) and Nathan A. Chapman; great granddaughters, Savannah Grace Chapman and Vivian Hensley Chapman, Danielle Woodall and Molly Johnson; great grandsons, Elliott Davis, Aaron Davis, Ethan Rankin, Carter Rankin, Henry Keller Chapman, IV, Phoenix Johnson and Aiden Burr. She is also survived by a brother, Charles A. Isham of Lake Charles, LA., and numerous nieces and nephews who she loved dearly.

Visitation will be at Mount Olivet Cemetery on Friday, March 3, 2023 from 10-11:30. In accordance with her wishes, a private graveside service will be conducted after visitation. Pall bearers are her grandsons and great grandsons.

In lieu of flowers, please consider contributing to the National Alzheimer’s Association, act.alz.org

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.mountolivet.com for the Chapman family.