She married Charles Joseph Martin on February 14, 1960, at Community Baptist Church in Iola, KS. He preceded her in death on October 22, 2003. She and her husband and 5 children, Charles, Jr., Samuel, James, Rachel, and Nathanael served one term as missionaries in the Samoan Islands of the South Pacific. Joyce was a member of the Iola Baptist Church.
Survivors include 4 sons, Charles, Jr. and wife Michelle, Vista, CA, Samuel and wife Barbara, Festus, MO, James and wife Lori, Summerdale, AL, Nathanael and wife Dedra, Newton, KS; a daughter, Rachel O’Dell and husband Mark, Independence, MO; 11 grandchildren, Jennifer, Benjamin, Lynelle, Michael, Steffenie, Logan, Liam, and Caitlyn Martin, and Tyler, Sarah, and Justin O’Dell; 21 great grandchildren; and 3 siblings Ella Britt, Iola, KS, Hazel Bahner, Topeka, KS and Wayne Howell, Topeka, KS. Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by a sister, Pauline Mitchell, a brother, Allen Howell, and her parents.
Samuel Martin will conduct funeral services at 10:30 AM Friday, July 19th, at the Fairview Chapel in Mildred, KS. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 9:30 AM until 10:30 at the Fairview Chapel. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to World Missions Bearing Precious Seed and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main St., Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted online at cheneywitt.com.