Lyla Joyce Giddens-Hobbs

Joyce Giddens, age 90, of Childersburg, went home to be with the Lord on March 3, 2025. She was born on November 28, 1934, the eleventh child of James Arthur Burchell and Nellie Frances Spry Burchell, and orphaned at an early age.

She lived with her older siblings in north Alabama until marrying J. M. Giddens in 1951 just before her senior year of high school. She graduated from Childersburg High School in 1952 as valedictorian, worked for Millard Lawrence for a year learning bookkeeping and came back to Childersburg High School as the secretary to the principal, Mr. A. H. Watwood, when she was only 19 years old. She worked there until her children were born.

She was a caring and nurturing mother but always had a desire to further her knowledge. She went back to work in 1965 as the secretary to Mr. Sam Alverson, the first President of the under-construction N. F. Nunnelley Trade School, now Central Alabama Community College (CACC) – Childersburg Campus. Being around educators during this time continued to fuel her desire to further her education. While working full time and being a wife and mother, she enrolled in night classes at Alexander City Junior College (ACJC) in 1970 and received her Associate's Degree in 1974. She transferred to UAB and completed her Bachelor’s Degree in 1978 and her Master's Degree in Education in 1979. She later completed the requirements for the Alabama Principal's Certification and an additional Advanced Degree in Education at UAB. She was an excellent student and was a member of Phi Kappa Phi.

During this time, she advanced in her professional career at CACC from secretary to her last position as Dean of Students – having held multiple positions including the Director of Financial Aid and Veterans Affairs for many years. She also was an adjunct English professor for both the ACJC and Athens State University evening programs in Childersburg. She was instrumental at CACC in writing proposals for federal grants and her capabilities were recognized by the United States Department of Education where she was selected to serve as a proposal evaluator in Washington on numerous occasions.

When she retired at CACC in 1996, she was asked to continue as a consultant and remain the director of the Community Outreach Programs (the Federal TRIO Programs) which included Upward Bound. Upward Bound was certainly her passion and she served as the director for that program for the next 17 years. When she completely retired and left CACC in 2013 at the age of 79, she was the longest continuous mainstay there, 48 years – a record which will likely never be broken. She was also very involved in the Childersburg Chamber of Commerce, serving as an officer and on its Board of Directors.

She was honored in 1999 when she was inducted into the Childersburg Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame. She was a counselor for many years at Skyline Christian Youth Camp and was a faithful member at the Childersburg Church of Christ. She always had a bright smile and was a loving person to everyone. Although suffering from dementia in her last years and being unable to recognize even her family members, through her late 80’s she could still sing hymns in her beautiful alto voice and harmonize like the true angel that she was. She was a beloved wife, mother and grandmother and will be missed by all who knew her.

She was preceded in death by her first husband of 56 years, John M. Giddens in 2008; her second husband of 7 years, Claude (Buddy) Hobbs in 2018; 11 of her 13 siblings - Virginia (Sammie) Burchell, Betty Richardson, Geneva Bedingfield, James Arthur Burchell Jr., Mahlon Burchell, Rhoda Wallace-Lyles, Bessie Williamson, Ellis Burchell, Mavoline Skipworth, Laverne Martin, Douglas Burchell; and her best friend, Margie Sanford.

She is survived by her children, Janie G. Giddens (Ray) and John Madison Giddens Jr. (Molly); grandchildren, Michael Giddens (Celia), John Madison Giddens III, and Jennifer Leigh Giddens; and 2 of her 13 siblings, Clayton Burchell and Judy Richardson. Her extended family includes numerous nieces and nephews.

Flowers or donations to Childersburg Church of Christ are appreciated.

The service will be held at the Childersburg Church of Christ on Monday, March 10, 2025 at 12:00 PM with visitation beginning at 10:00 AM. Ministers Danny Pettus, Gary Bradley and Lamar Russell will preside.

Pallbearers are all former Upward Bound students: Christopher Barron, Greg Funderburg, Kenneth Ray Funderburg, Macy Miller, Robert Pearson and Matt Taft