Joyce Wilson

Joyce Raye Wilson, age 82, of Battle Creek passed away on Saturday, May 29, 2021. Joyce was born January 10, 1939 in Chicago, Illinois to Arnie and Clothilde (Powell) Young. She grew up in Chicago and graduated from Hyde Park High School in 1956. She attended Southern Illinois University and graduated from Spring Arbor University with her Bachelor's of Arts in Business Administration in 1988. On February 17, 1963, Joyce was united in marriage with Richard W. Wilson at St. John's Baptist Church in Chicago.

The family moved to Battle Creek, Michigan in 1970. Initially they lived in Lakeview, then Battle Creek on Woolnough, where she raised her two sons. She remained in the Battle Creek area for the remainder of her life. She was a member of the PTA at Fremont School, a member of NAACP, of the Urban League of Battle Creek, Toastmasters, a board member of SNAP preschool, participated in the first Mosaic Storytellers event, and was a board member of Unity Church of Battle Creek.

Joyce was a lover of the arts. She and her husband loved all art forms, from music, especially jazz, to photography, pottery, sculptures and paintings. She loved to travel and has been to many parts of the United States, South and Central America, as well as Europe. She also enjoyed Jazz cruises where she could listen to wonderful music and engage with her favorite artists. Joyce was an avid reader and enjoyed being a member of several book clubs. She took that love for reading and volunteered to mentor elementary students to improve reading skills at local elementaries and Willard Library. Joyce enjoyed gardening and identifying unique flowering plants around Michigan. She spent many of her spring and fall days transplanting and moving her beloved hostas. Joyce loved having her granddaughters help her garden, as well as baking and decorating for Christmas and attending their activities and sporting events. After retiring, Joyce took up playing the guitar and pottery courses at KCC.

Joyce is survived by her loving husband, Richard Wilson of Battle Creek; sons Merrick Wilson of Kalamazoo and Richard (Suzanne) Wilson and granddaughters Maya and Eliana Wilson of Bellevue; cousin, Terry Tucker of Chicago; nephew, Antonio (Ann) Porter III and grandnieces, Nina and Zoe Porter of Bloomington, MN. She was preceded in death by her parents, Arnie T. Young and Clothilde (Powell) Young and sister, Claudia (Young) McCormick.

Joyce's family will receive friends on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care, 105 Capital Ave NE. A memorial service will be held there to celebrate her life Thursday, June 10, 2021 at the funeral home at 10:00 a.m. followed by inurnment at Fort Custer National Cemetery at 11:30 a.m. A livestream of the service will be available at the follow link: https://vimeo.com/560953666 Arrangements by Farley Estes Dowdle Funeral Home & Cremation Care. Personal messages and memories may be shared at www.farleyestesdowdle.com.