Joyce Ann McBride Yeary was born November 8, 1935, to Marion Agnes Stephenson-McBride and Clarence Joseph “C.J.” McBride, and on January 24, 2025, she walked away with her Lord Jesus. She was raised a Roman Catholic, and her faith was always—throughout her life—an abiding part of her identity, character, and strength. Her childhood was full of love and joy. She grew up surrounded by her large and extended family and many friends. She was always involved in adventures, both at home and on her daddy’s, and extended family’s, ranches and farms. Under the tutelage of her mom, Marion, Joyce grew into a brilliant, beautiful, and talented woman. She attended Martin High School in Laredo, where she was part of the pep squad until her daddy made her quit after she stayed out too late with a boy (who later became her husband). Joyce, who’s mother was a founding member of the Society of Martha Washington in Laredo, was presented to the society during her senior year in high school, as were each of her sisters during their senior years. After her graduation, she attended Incarnate Word College in San Antonio, and then also Texas A&I in Kingsville.
On April 1, 1957, Joyce was married to her high school sweetheart, the late Harold Rutherford “Pat” Yeary, II [dec.—2023], at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Laredo. Pat had recently joined the Navy, and was stationed at Oakland, California, so Joyce started her new life as a military wife there. But not long afterward, Pat was ordered to Hawaii to work as a hospital corpsman, and Joyce was whisked away to spend the early part of her married life in that tropical paradise. While she was there, her first two children—Patricia Denise and Sarah Melissa—were born, and Hawaii became a state on August 21, 1959. When they returned to the continental US, Joyce and Pat moved to Houston. There, Joyce worked a secretarial job with Dr. Denton Cooley while Pat continued his service in the military reserves and finished college. Pat then attended the UT dental school in Houston. Their first son—Harold Rutherford “Ford”—was born while they were in Houston. At the end of Pat’s dental training, they moved to Cotulla, where they opened Pat’s first dental office, and where their next two children—Kevin Patrick and Marion Allison—were born. They remained there until 1970, when they moved back to Laredo and purchased the home where they raised their children, on Musser Street. It was there that they added the last of their children—Joyce Ann (“Jay Jay”)—to the family.
While Pat devoted himself to his dental career and to big community projects like the building of what is now known as Doctor’s Hospital in north Laredo, Joyce devoted her life to caring for, educating, forming, and nurturing her children as they grew into responsible, independent, civic-minded, and faith-filed adults. Along the way, Joyce intermittently worked with Pat at his office and at the same time led the family on frequent memory-making adventures, like our many family trips to the Frio River--first at Concan and then later at Leakey, to the beaches at Port Aransas and South Padre Island, and on trips in the family motor-home to swim-meets all around Texas. There were other, bigger, adventures as well, like the unforgettable adventure to California and Las Vegas, where the family eventually left the motor-home behind, and the Return-to-Hawaii trip with Pat and the three older kids--leaving the three favorite children at home even though they should have been able to go as well! Joyce was also proud to continue her own mom’s tradition of service in the Society of Martha Washington and loved seeing her own daughters presented just as she had been. Joyce also held the family together throughout the staggering loss of her first son, Ford, at the all too young age of 18, by committing herself to keeping his blessed memory alive and by focusing the family on the promises of Jesus. In all these times, Joyce remained extremely close with her five siblings and their spouses and kids. Her siblings’ families (our aunts, uncles, and cousins) frequently visited the Yeary home in Laredo—the hub of the extended family, and everyone enjoyed Joyce’s always joy-filled Laredo hospitality.
In 1995, Joyce and her sister Patty, opened a custom furniture shop in Laredo, which was known as Las Dos Hermanas. The store provided them with an avenue to share their mutual love for hand-made natural-wood and wrought-iron furniture with other people who loved that style as well. And later, around 2001, after she had lived alone in the big family house on Musser Street for several years, Joyce finally relented to her children’s entreaties to join them in San Antonio. She first lived with her son Kevin and his wife Suzie, for about ten years, and helped them raise their four girls; she then moved in with her daughter Melissa and her sons (after the unexpected death of Melissa’s husband, Wayne) for about seven years; and then she spent the remainder of her years living with her daughter Allison and Allison’s two sons. She also spent occasional extended stays with her eldest daughter Denise, in Wimberley.
Joyce is survived by five of her six children: Patricia Denise Yeary-Jackson (Lee), Sarah Melissa Yeary-Campbell (Wayne [dec.—2005]), Kevin Patrick Yeary (Suzanne), Marion Allison Yeary-Garcia, and Joyce Ann Yeary-Powell (Patrick). She is also survived by 19 grandchildren: Jenna Jackson-Gilbert (Brendan), Andrew Jackson (Cassie), Anthony Jackson (Suzanne), Kayla Jackson-Carter (Chance), Clint Campbell (Natasha), Aaron Campbell (Jennifer), Payton Campbell, Kyle Campbell (Kathleen), Colin Ford Campbell, Abigail Yeary-Fly (Mitchell), Anna Kate Yeary, Allison Yeary, Adeline Yeary, Deven Garcia, Matthew Garcia, Jordan Powell-Bianchi (Marco), Sidney Powell, and Ryan Powell. She is further survived by 22 great-grandchildren: Parker Lewis, Rees Lewis, Laeken Carter, Levi Carter, Luke Davis, Caitlyn Warren, Cameryn Warren, Rylee Jackson, Cade Jackson, Preston Jackson, Peyton Jackson-Rutherford, Presley Jackson, Paisley Jackson, Pemberley Jackson, Pierceton Ford Jackson, Hanna Campbell, Brett Campbell, Johnny Campbell, Baby Boy Campbell (currently percolating in the Kathleen Campbell oven), Luca Bianchi, and Ava Bianchi. And she is also survived by one great-great-grandson, Milo Rutherford, and 28 beloved nieces and nephews and many-many great-nieces and nephews.
Joyce loved to read. She read the Bible. She read every single book ever written about how to make millions. She enjoyed biographies, decorating books, and other non-fiction books as well. But mostly she enjoyed being with her family and making memories while cooking and serving and sharing the moments of her life with those whom she loved. She also loved Jesus, who came to peacefully take her from us in her sleep when He was ready for her, on Friday, January 24, 2025. We are confident she is now abiding with Him today, along with Pat, her son, Ford, her parents, “C.J.” and Marion, and her siblings, Joan, Dennis, and Margaret, her nephew Amber, and several angel-grand-kids and angel-nieces and nephews, all of whom preceded her on the journey to heaven.
The family would like to thank Dr. Philip Zinn, Dr. Solomon Paley, as well as San Antonio Home Health (especially Mariah and Joe), for their care and assistance to our mom over the last several months and years. And to Mary Bingham: thank you for bringing our mom Communion twice a week, even on the coldest of days! You were a special angel to her!
Joyce’s family and loved ones look forward to gathering soon to celebrate her life.
The family will receive friends from 6:00 to 7:00 pm on Thursday, February 6, 2025, at Porter Loring Mortuary North (2102 North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio, Texas 78232)
A Recitation of the Rosary will take place at 7:00 pm, following the visitation on Thursday, February 6, 2025, at Porter Loring Mortuary North.
The Funeral Mass of Resurrection will be held on Friday, February 7, 2025, at 10:00 am at St. Joseph Honey Creek Catholic Church (25781 State Highway 46 W., Spring Branch, TX 78070)
Interment will follow at 12:00 pm in Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery (17501 Nacogdoches Rd., San Antonio, TX 78266)
