Joyce Frances Sanford

Joyce was born on January 24, 1933, in Youngstown , Ohio and moved to Hyattsville, Maryland when her father departed for Europe during WWII. Joyce and her mother and two brothers joined Major Curran in Berlin after the war where he served as a diplomat overseeing the recovery of Germany's industries. Joyce attended high school in The American School in Berlin where she wrote a teen column for the English news paper and hosted a teen talk show on the Armed Forces Radio network. Her studies included voice and piano. For her senior year Joyce attended the French language Ecole Internationale school in Geneva, Switzerland, graduating in 1951.

Returning to the United States in 1951, Joyce attended Mountain State College in West Virginia. Later she worked for a government agency in the District of Columbia with Top-Secret clearance. It was there she met her husband who was similarly employed in the U.S. Army. She moved with her husband to various military installations for the next 24 years in California, Panama, Fort Benning, GA and at Fort Bragg, NC, where she served as "Grey Lady" volunteer in Womack Army Hospital helping rehabilitate wounded Vietnam veterans. The tour with her husband and family in the Panama Canal Zone was for three years. She served as editor of the social page for several newspapers. After retirement, she and husband lived aboard their sailboat for about three years while sailing the East coast and the Bahamas, eventually settling in eastern North Carolina. Joyce was the co-chairman of WE CARE, an all-volunteer organization that sent over 30 tons of care packages to our troops in the war zones of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Joyce was an avid reader, enjoyed playing bridge, listening to all types of music and knitting. Joyce enjoyed spending time with family especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Joyce was predeceased by her father and mother, Owen Sayer Curran, Sr. and Frances Collins Curran; two brothers, Owen Sayer Curran II and Richard Patrick Curran and son SMSG (retired) David Owen Sanford. She leaves two daughters, Cynthia Sanford Bridenstine of Matthews, NC and Sarah Sanford Ragland of Wake Forest, NC, five grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and her husband of 72 years.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 16th at 2:00 pm at McEwen Mint Hill Chapel 7428 Matthews Mint Hill Rd. Mint Hill, NC 28227 with a reception immediately following.

Rather than sending flowers, the family suggests donating to Levine & Dickson Hospice House - Southminster 8919 Park Rd Suite 1000, Charlotte, NC 28210 or to your local Hospice organization.