Joyce Ellen Keuling

Joyce Keuling passed away on Saturday, January 18, 2025. She is survived by her sister Jayne K. Moore, brother Robert E. Keuling (Phyllis), niece Karrie Michaels (Brian) and their children Alexa, Tristen, and Logan, and nephews Eric Keuling, and J. Kevin Bradshaw (Louise) and their son Dillon. She is also survived by her cousins Gail Wray and her two sons, Terry, Jr. (Lynn) and Todd (Jolee) and Scott Mulcahy (Fran), and their children Scott, Jr. and Shannon Dinota (Tony).

Joyce was a member of St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral, where she was a member of the Press Club, Mary and Martha Hospitality Committee, and the Parish Visitors.

Joyce received both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Florida State University. She taught art in Leon County for 37 years, first at Leon High School from 1970 through 1980 and at Rickards High School from 1981 through 2007. While at Leon High School, Joyce sponsored the Exchangettes Service Club, and while at Rickards, she sponsored the Anchor Club and Interact Club. She taught art in the International Baccalaureate Program at Rickards for the last five years of her career.

Joyce received the Florida Heartland Award from Governor Lawton Chiles in 1995 for providing supplies and presentation materials for her students. Joyce believed in her students and was determined to provide all the materials they would need to create their art pieces. She often said that it was the momentary “gleam in the students’ eyes” when they first saw their art piece matted, framed, and ready for display, that was her true inspiration. It was her strong belief that everyone is creative, and people are compelled to express this creativity somewhere in their lives. She considered everything from the visual and performing arts to landscaping, designing buildings, the culinary arts, and cosmetology - everything that needed a discriminating eye – to be an artful creation, and that everyone had this ability within them. Joyce felt it was her job to bring this out in each of her students.

Joyce used her humor as her primary vehicle for communication. Her goal was to have her classroom atmosphere as free and as open as possible because she felt that if her students felt secure and relaxed, they would feel more at ease to let their creativity flourish. The uninhibited atmosphere resulted in many award-winning art pieces. Her students were known for their local, state, and national award-winning art pieces. Her students could express themselves both visually and verbally.

Joyce was a resident of Westminster Oaks for the last eight years of her life. She served on the Grounds Committee and the Art Committee, where she was responsible for scheduling local artists for the quarterly Westminster Art Show held in the dining hall, and was a member of the Westminster Senior Patriots Club. She was also a member of the Capital Conservatives Club of Tallahassee.

Funeral services will be at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at St. Peter’s Anglican Cathedral, with a reception to follow. There will be an interment for family and close friends at Roselawn Cemetery.

Joyce had a love for people and animals.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to one of the following organizations: Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Shriners Children’s Hospitals, Leon County Humane Society, or St. Francis Wildlife Association.