Joyce (Deen) Lewis

Joyce was born on August 5, 1925 in Appleby, (Nacogdoches County) Texas. Her mom, I.T. Deen, was a schoolteacher and her dad, Albert Deen, was a farmer. Joyce was a farm girl raised in the red dirt of Appleby.

After graduating from Nacogdoches High School, she moved to San Antonio where she, like many other young women, worked in the stateside war effort and later in the accounting department of Joske’s Department Store, where she got her first taste of the business world.

Joyce then returned to Nacogdoches and worked at Memorial Hospital living in the single womens’ housing along with a group of other young women employed by the hospital. She met Fritz Lewis while at the hospital, and she and Fritz were married in 1952 and moved to Port Arthur, Texas where they lived, loved, learned about gumbo, worked and raised a family of one son, Barham, and one daughter, Brenda. During the 35 years in Port Arthur, Joyce and Fritz were active members of Central Baptist Church and lived in Griffing Park.

After Fritz retired from Gulf Oil Corporation, they moved back to Nacogdoches County and made their home in Appleby. Joyce however was not ready to retire. She continued to work as an administrator and manager of nursing homes until 2001.

Joyce and Fritz liked to travel and were fortunate to see many places in their retirement years. But the times they enjoyed best were times spent with family and friends in Nacogdoches County either in Appleby or at the Lewis farm in the southern part of the county near Lacyville.

Joyce was a long-time member of Calvary Baptist Church. Joyce was not one to just join an organization. She was an active participant and member at Calvary. She sang in the senior choir and enjoyed arranging the outreach effort of the senior choir’s weekly visits to nursing homes across Nacogdoches County. Joyce’s parents are buried in Bethel Cemetery and for the last 30 years Joyce served as part of the leadership team at Bethel Cemetery. Under her leadership, the Bethel Cemetery grew larger to better serve the community, made physical improvements and established sound fiscal practices.

Joyce touched many lives as a daughter, sister, wife, mom, aunt, friend, businesswoman and grandparent. She had a real calling to care for others and it showed in all phases of her life.

Joyce is survived by many friends and family members including her daughter, Brenda Lewis, of Port Arthur; son, Barham Lewis and daughter-in-law, Patty Lewis, of Houston; grandson Jake Lewis of Houston; and granddaughter Tarah Lewis of Atlanta, Georgia, along with many nephews and nieces.

Visitation will be held at Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Home in Nacogdoches on Thursday evening, July 25, 2019, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Funeral services will be at Calvary Baptist Church at 10:00 a.m. Friday, July 26, 2019, with graveside services following at Bethel Cemetery in Appleby.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Bethel Cemetery Association c/o Bill Shumate, 270 C.R. 2082, Nacogdoches, Texas 75965, the President of Bethel Cemetery Association.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Cason Monk-Metcalf Funeral Directors.