Joyce "Joy" Durham

Joyce Durham (Joy) of St. Simons Island, GA died on Monday April 2, 2012. Joy was a native of Birmingham, England where she lived during World War II and served in the British Women’s Land Army. She married Walter Durham on July 27, 1946 and in 1948 the couple moved to the United States where Walter worked for an English woolen importer located in New York City. In 1953, shortly before the birth of their second son, they moved to White Plains, NY where they lived for almost 30 years.

Joy volunteered for many years as a Red Cross Nurse Aide at White Plains Hospital, and also at The Reading Center and at a Day Care Center. She was a founding member of the White Plains Hospice, a program she deeply believed in. Joy was also an active follower of her sons’ athletic and other activities.

After her beloved husband’s premature death in 1973, Joy went to work at White Plains Hospital in the Volunteer department, eventually becoming director of Volunteer Services. In 1989 she received the Employee of the Year Award (Silver Bowl) for dedication to the Patients. She retired from a position she loved in 1990 in order to be more available for her family.

Joy served on the Vestry of St. Bartholomew’s Church in White Plains and also that of St Mark’s Church in Brunswick, GA. She was a long time member of the Board at Hospice of the Golden Isles and had recently been elected as Director Emeritus. Joy volunteered every week at Hospice for almost 20 years. Joy is survived by her two sons and three grandchildren.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday April 14 at St Mark’s Episcopal Church, 900 Gloucester St., Brunswick, GA with Father Alan Akridge officiating. A reception and visitation will follow the service.

Additionally, there will be a visitation from 10am-12pm Monday April 16th at the Ballard-Durand Funeral Home, 2 Maple Avenue, White Plains, NY. Following the visitation, Joy will be buried next to her husband in the White Plains Rural Cemetery.

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In lieu of flowers, the Family requests a gift to the Hospice of the Golden Isles, 1692 Glynco Parkway, Brunswick, GA 31525 (www.hospice.me).