Granny, 
It's been almost a year since you passed away. As we near closer to Christmas, it will be strange this year to not have your bright smile and cheerful Christmas spirit this year. We all miss you more than words. Pawpaw is doing okay. Last week, we met everyone in Chattanooga for his birthday. You would've loved being there with everyone. You would've loved walking through the aquarium and the awesome food we had. You would have approved. WE know you're looking down on us and always watching over us. Thank you for teaching me that you always have to work to be your best in something you are passionate about. I love you & miss you. <3

Dear Granny Joyce, 
We were truly blessed by your beautiful spirit. Thank you for teaching me about the importance of cooking with love and living with passion. I love you and will miss you dearly.

I am still having trouble finding adequate words that might do justice in relaying a fraction of the beautiful memories we shared together, Granny.  From playing dress up with Meredith in the back bedroom, adorned by your necklaces and clip-on earrings, to countless hours of laughter around the kitchen table, I know I have a treasure trove of special moments to rely on whenever I miss you.

I remember your beaming happiness when I revealed that I was pregnant at Meredith and Francisco's rehearsal dinner.  More importantly, I will never forget the evening that we walked into the den and introduced you and Papa to Laura just a few months after she was born.  Although I won't be able to pass down your culinary prowess or your magical talent to tease hair, I hope that perhaps Laura will inherit some of your infectious joy from my genes.

Thank you for always being a ray of sunshine.

Love you Granny.
Sarah


As Joyce would say.let's get this party started.

There was quite a commotion in Heaven this past Monday right before sunrise.

Stop me if you've heard this.

As Saint Peter swung open the Pearly Gates, he was greeted by a little lady who demanded that he step aside because she, Joyce Rogers, had to get to the kitchen and get busy fixing breakfast.

I can only imagine the ruckus. But I don't have to imagine too hard what that breakfast looked like.

If you were ever lucky enough to enjoy a family breakfast prepared by Joyce  Granny Joyce  then you know exactly what I'm talking about.  

And if you were late to the breakfast table, then shame on you because her biscuits went fast. Super fast.

As our family grew over the years, so did the competition for a good seat at the table and a fair shot at her biscuits. Even as the number one son in law, I had to fight for my chair next to Papa Jim and claim my share of the biscuits.

That's just one of the many memories that I have of Joyce, my mother in law, but really my mother, too, in so many ways.

I feel honored this morning to be able to share a few thoughts about Joyce and her legacy of love and life values.


As we travel through life we collect memories. 

And if we're lucky, our collection of memories is packed with good ones.

I think of those memories as Special Slices of Timethose moments that define our life experience. 

I'm not talking about the big, high profile life events like a wedding or a graduation. But rather the simple, but yet special moments that stick with you.

To help me this morning, I've brought along my own collection of Joyce memoriesthese are just a few of my special slices of time with Joyce.


My time with Joyce dates back to the spring of 1974 when my girl friend Debbie took me home to meet her parents.  The dreaded, let's go meet mom and dad.

As you can imagine, I was feeling a little intimidated, especially meeting Mister Rogers, sir.  Instead of a hug or even a handshake, Mister Rogers wanted to check out my arms and asked me, son, you know how to swing a framing hammer?

Before I could answer, Joyce rescued me with a warm hug, her beautiful smile, and, of course, an invitation to dinner.  At that moment, I knew I had met the right girl.

And I want to mention that this is the church that Debbie and I were married in back in 1975. Ken Green was the pastor. Getting married when you're just twenty years old and still looking at two more years of college ain't easy. But Joyce never doubted our love, and here we are today. Her love and support  as well as Jim's  --  made a difference.

You know by now my deep affection for her biscuits. It's definitely in my Joyce bagMartha White Flour.

But that first night at the Rogers dinner table, I was introduced to several new foods including okra, and now one of my all time favorite Cauliflower Salad.

That evening I choked down not one, not two, but at least four helpings of cauliflower salad in my attempt to win over Mrs. Rogers.   I think it might have worked.

All the time, however, I suspected that the big guy, Mister Rogers, was on to my scam.after all, I was a Yankee from Maryland, who had no clue what a framing hammer was.

In the many years since that first dinner, Joyce always made sure I had first dibs on cauliflower salad as well as the okra.  And if it's missing from the table, I would always ask about it. And beg for more.


Joyce also introduced me to another fine breakfast delectableGrits.

Now I have to admit that I struggled at first with grits  something pretty foreign to me  but Joyce added just the right amount of butter and salt, and I truly have developed a love for grits to go along with her fried ham, fried eggs, bacon, sausage and of course her biscuits. Paula Deen has nothing over Joyce.

Joyce just didn't prepare meals. She created banquets. 

Whether it was a weekend on the lake, a birthday celebration, a backyard cookout, or Thanksgiving dinner, the lady knew how to put out a spread.

This was important to her because creating a banquet meant FAMILY TIME. And she was all about family.
 
Part of her legacy sits here today. She and Jim raised three beautiful, talented daughters:

Debbie, a committed and accomplished educator. 
Susan, a successful veterinarian. 
And Kim, the 2015 Wayne County Chamber of Commerce Person of the Year.

I see in each of them the values that best define Joyce:

Family, faith, integrity, respect, and love.


Her legacy also includes 7 grandchildren: Meredith, Sarah, Evan, AJ, Samantha, Justin, and JoBeth.

And of course, Joyce's first great grandbaby, Laura, who celebrates her first birthday tomorrow.

Jim and Joyce have come a long way since December 21, 1952 when these two young love birds got hitched.  Joyce got her a handsome flyboy, and James got a beautiful, smart lady. In Air Force terms, he out flew his runway.

Wherever life took them, they never forgot about family and friends. And they have tons of friends just judging by the number of Christmas cards that flow in every December. 

And they were the perfect parents, grandparents, aunt and uncle. 

Never missing a high school or college graduation, theatre performance, horseshows, chorus contests, annual beach trips to the Carolina coast, lake trips, reunions, and weddings near and far. If it were family, they were always there. And Granny Joyce was the quintessential grandmother:  loving, caring, doting. And as a grandmother for the past twelve months, I see those very same qualities in Debbie.

Joyce learned from her mother, Buddy in Savannah, and her mother in law, Big Mama in Taylorsville, North Carolina, how to whip together great food. She spent a good portion of her time in Grand Forks, North Dakota teaching herself the nuances and complexity of cooking, especially since she couldn't get good southern meals in that neck of the woods.not too mention that average temp in Grand Forks is like 8 degrees below zero and a typical day has only 4 hours of daylight.

But I think this is where she honed her art of biscuit making.

Speaking of biscuits, another special slice of time I have relates to them.

Nothing  and I mean nothing  goes better with Joyce's biscuits then her homemade strawberry preserves.   Am I right?? Am I right??

For many years, Granny Joyce canned foods and made a variety of homemade jams and jellies. But her strawberry preserves were by far the absolute best --- blue ribbon quality. 

Now, Joyce never played favorites but - - as the number one son in law  -- she made sure I had an ample supply from her special reserves. This little beauty is from 1999 and I'm sure I could make some pretty good money right now if I wanted to auction it off. 

But this baby is spoken for and moi will be enjoying it sometime in the near future.  If you're nice, I may share.but don't count on it.

Most of you sitting here today know Joyce as a sweet, caring, loving lady. 

But there's another side to Joyce you may not know. She had a dark side, a mean streak in which she showed no compassion, no mercy, no love. 

What am I talking about?

This little lady played a mean game of Rook. 

Don't let her quiet demeanor and disarming smile fool you. 

She'd cut you!  She'd cut you deep. 

She could be a coldhearted killer at the card table. Trust me.

And if you were her partner  and I was a few times -- you better be paying attention and follow her lead. Otherwise, she'd give you that cold stare.  Needless to say, my tenure as her partner was short lived.  (bless his heart, he tries so hard).

Through the years we had monumental card games that would often go late into the night. Happily, she's passed on her playing skills to her kids as well as her grandkids.  

She made me the Rook Champion that I am today.


Joyce was a woman of faith and for over 30 years she served this very church as its secretary. From what I could tell, I think she actually ran the place.

Every once and awhile, Joyce and I would talk about faith and religion.  

I recall several years ago when she asked me if I knew the difference between Methodists and Baptists. 

Having grown up a Baptist, I sat up and asked what, Mrs. Rogers?

Joyce leaned over and said,well us Methodists get to dance and have a drink or three every so often.

That's when Joyce first introduced me to her good buddy, Ezra Brooks.

To make sure I stayed on her good side  and continue to rack up points as the number one son in law  --  I would frequently bring her a bottle of her favorite libation. I can hear her now.Mark, can you bring me some Ezra and Seven Up.with lots of ice.  Always, lots of ice. 

I am convinced that Joyce Rogers was the original party girl.

She often shared stories of sneaking out of her home in Savannah to smoke cigarettes with her sister Julia or to hang out with friends. 

She was a rebel long before being a rebel was cool.

And when her first grandchild, Meredith, went off to college, Granny Joyce made sure she had the right campus attire. Like the sweatshirt that read:  COED NAKED CHEERLEADING.  Either Granny missed the naked part, or she knew that Florida State was actually a big time party school.

Yep, she was a party girl.

And as an Air Force wife, Joyce enjoyed socializing with all of Jim's crew and their wives. They were a pretty tight air force group and they had plenty of great times. Joyce loved that fellowship and camaraderie. Grand Forks, North Dakota might not have been her favorite place to live, but she loved her friends and the good times they had together.  Regardless of wherever Jim's career took them  North Dakota, California, Andrews Air Force base in Maryland --  Joyce always made sure their home was a loving home.a caring homea welcoming home.

If you hung around Joyce long enough, you were sure to see plenty of teachable moments.  And I'll never forget her lesson of forgiveness.

When our children were young, Papa Jim and Granny Joyce would often watch the kids so Debbie and I could travel to see Tennessee play. It was one early Saturday morning in October and we had loaded the car and were off to Birmingham when a loud crash occurred. 

Right in our driveway.

Without looking in the mirror I had smashed right into Joyce's brand new, shiny, less than-a-thousand-miles-on-it car.  

The damage was ugly. And embarrassing. A busted grill. A dangling headlight, a missing mirror, a few dents ready for the rubber mallet.

But before I could catch my breath, Joyce came bounding out of the house, surveyed the damagethen started laughing. You kids go on and have a good time. It's just a car; no big deal.  It was forgiveness.and she never mentioned it again, ever.  At least not when I was around.

But it showed me an important side of Joyce.don't sweat the small stuff.and don't forget to use your mirrors.

Now how many guys out there have a mother in law that would be that forgiving after you've smashed her brand new, shiny, less than a thousand miles on it car??  Not many, trust me.


I have one more item in my J Bag..

Joyce often reminded me that I showed up at her house 42 years ago about the same time an old stray beagle showed up.  

His name was.Beagle. 

He was not in the best of shapesagged a little around the middle.had achy bonessplotchy skinbad breathcould get a little gassyand he was losing his hair.  

Joyce said I had a lot in common with Beagle.

That was my Joyce. 

She could tweak you. And she could love you.  And I'm going to miss her.


We'll miss your warm smile.

We'll miss your tight hugs.

We'll miss your encouraging words.

We'll miss your singing and quiet humming.

We'll miss your love.


But in the coming weeks, months, even years, the best way to remember Joyce Rogers is to reach into your own bag of special slices of time.  

I know I will.

Love you, Joyce.

Joyce, I can't thank you enough for welcoming me in your home and treating me as your grandson. You made me truly appreciate grits and the wonderful biscuits you would make. I am hoping Laura was paying close attention so that she can prepare those in a few years :-). 

I will remember how much fun you were, having conversations and drinks with you on the porch downstairs. You would always smile and not let anything bother you (except the dust on the chandeliers :-)).

I love you very much Granny,

Roland

Granny,

It's hard to believe it's been a month since you said goodbye to this world. Today was the first day I made brownies (like you loved so much). This best part was getting to share them with so many of my friends and being the perfect hostess you taught us all to be. 

Your funeral was one of a kind just like you. Props to Uncle Mark on doing a fantastic job. We all know you would have probably peed in your pants from laughing so hard and rolled your eyes at Papa for falling asleep (it was only a few seconds).

Thank you for being our matriarch and living a life full of love, laughter, and kindness. During your Eighty-three years of life you gave us so many examples on how to live, love, and enjoy life. Your accomplishments (because they are worth boasting and sharing) include: 63 years of marriage, 31 years of service to the church, and raising 3 kind, strong, hardworking, and beautiful daughters that 7 grandchildren all get to call Mom and 1 great-granddaughter will call Marmee (when she starts talking). The women you raised that I get to call Mom is the greatest gift you ever gave me. That and all the thousand biscuits (5 biscuits a sitting x 10 sittings a year X 22 years = 1,100 biscuits) you provided me whether they came from your hands or Moms. They have all had your love in them as they will for many years and generations to come. 

All my love,

I'm going to miss you Granny! I always knew I could count on you if I needed something. Thanks for putting up with me all those years I was going to school in Knoxville.

Your Grandson,

A.J. Bell

Dear Debbie,

Roland told me that your mother passed away on Monday morning. I just want to tell you that I'm thinking of you. Losing one's mother is a very traumatizing experience. I went through this a long time ago, so I can imagine how you're feeling right now. I think, Grandma Joyce had a fulfilled and mostly happy life, surrounded by her family, especially at the end when things got very difficult. She knew she was loved. I'll remember her as a friendly and joyful person who had every reason to be proud of her daughters, one of whom I have the privilege of knowing a little better.
In the midst of this sadness, I am very grateful that she had the joy of meeting her youngest great-grandchild.

A big hug from your friend
Bert

Mom, your beautiful spirit of truth, kindness, faith, optimism, and love has inspired and guided my life.  You made every day joyful. I will miss you immensely but forever keep you close in my heart.

Debbie, we are all thinking of you and your family.  I can tell you all have wonderful memories that will be cherished. I am sure those memories will be a special blessing to the family.

May her memory be a blessing to you and your family.

Mr. Rogers, We are so very sorry for you and your families loss. I think you already know that if Denise or I can do anything for you please do not hesitate to call on us.

She has as big of a smile as you do Debbie.  I know the two of you filled up a room with joy when you were together.  I know she was so proud to be your mom and to be a great grandmother.  Peace to you and yours during this time of loss.

Debbie, I am so sorry to hear about your mom. You sure had her beautiful smile. I'll be thinking about you and your family through this difficult time.

How lucky I am to have had you as my grandmother.  You were one of a kind.  I love you, Granny.

Joyce was my second Mom!  She was always there if you needed a friendly word with the most contagious smile, always!  I never saw her unhappy or angry.  I can see that spring in her step she always had.  I hadn't seen her in a few years but the last time I did, she was the same Joyce she was even years ago.  I went camping once with them to a lakeside area.  No bathroom, "we are roughing it," she said. " If you need to use the bathroom just grab that shovel and go up in the woods."  What s trip!  One I will never forget.  Love the whole family and prayers are with you all as you start this new time of your lives.

Debbie, I am very sorry for your loss. You and your family will remain in my thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. God bless
Barbara Martinez

Debbie, I'm so sorry.  I've been thinking of you and your family, and you continue to be in our prayers.

Debbie, you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers in the loss of your mother. I here if you need anything.  Teresa Rawlins, Powder Springs, Georgia.

I am so very sorry for your loss.  My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this time.

My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family.

Debbie, I am sorry for the loss of your mother. May you find continued comfort in all of the special memories together. You are in my thoughts and prayers.

Debbie, My thoughts are with you and your family at this sad time. My condolences.

Debbie, although I did not know your mom, I have had the pleasure of knowing the two following generations of Rogers women, and can truly say that she certainly instilled a greatness in all of them. As such, she becomes eternal.

Deb, peace, prayers, and blessings to you and your family.  I am so sorry for your loss.

Dear Jim, Debbie, Susan, Kim, Julia and family, We are so sad to hear of Joyce's passing. While we haven't all been able to get together in quite a while, our loving memories of her and the entire family remain strong and dear. Aunt Joyce was always so full of life, quick to see the humor in things, and I loved how she told it like it was. Mom's consoling herself now by remembering all the good stories of the fun that was had and thoughts of how good Joyce always was to her. I know each of you are grieving this profound loss in your lives, but I hope you will soon feel the peace of the Lord, knowing that she is with Him now. Mom's not able to travel, so I regret we won't be able to make it to the service. Please know that our hearts are with you, though, now and forever. -- Love, Cindy

Granny,
Thanks for always making me feel like a part of the family from day one.  I will always remember your love of family and the joy you found in us.  And most of all, thanks to you (and Jim) for raising the love of my life. Forever always the son-in-law who ate one of your biscuits from the trash,
Alan

I am so sorry for the loss of Joyce. I had the privilege of meeting her at the fitness center & we became friends. I will miss her sweet smile. She was an amazing woman. She will forever hold a special place in my heart. May God comfort each of you during this difficult time. Again so sorry for your loss.                                                Shirley Monroe

Mom, thanks for being an awesome mom. You were the best. The way you treated people and lived your life with a smile on your face was truly an inspiration to all. I will treasure every memory. Thanks for always loving me. Miss you so very much!

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Joyce Anderson Rogers

15 novembre 1932 – 25 janvier 2016

Berry Highland Memorial

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