Joy Stennis Van Devender

Joy Stennis Van Devender, 91, died Tuesday, September 7, 2010 at the Heritage House in Brandon, MS. Funeral services will be held Friday, September 10, 2010 at 11:00am at the Broadmoor Baptist Church Chapel in Madison on Highland Colony Parkway with interment at Lakewood Memorial Park. Visitation will be Thursday, September 9, 2010 f rom 5-7pm at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home on Highland Colony Parkway in Ridgeland.

Joy was born in Macon, MS on November 1, 1918 to the parents of Will and Pearl Stennis. She was a 1943 graduate of MSCW in Columbus, MS. She worked in Washington, D.C. as a Cryptographic Specialist for the Signal Corps before returning to Mississippi to marry her college sweetheart, Clinton Van Devender.

In 1950, they bought a home in the Broadmoor Subdivision where they reared their children: John Clinton-deceased, William Jarvis, and Sallie Stennis. She and her husband were charter members of Broadmoor Baptist Church, where she served faithfully for over 50 years and all three children were baptized.

Mrs. Van Devender was a teacher and librarian for 22 years at the Mississippi School for the Blind. She was honored with the George W. Canton Humanitarian Award. In her declining years, she anticipated and appreciated her former students remembering her at Christmas by caroling at her home.

Joy was preceded in death by her devoted husband, Clinton Van Devender; son, John Clinton; her brothers, Tom, Turner, Jessie and Hardy Stennis and sister, Sallie Lou Downs.

She is survived by her daughter, Sallie Stennis Van Devender of Austin, TX; son, William Jarvis Van Devender of Jackson; daughter-in-law, Mollie Magee Van Devender; her grandchildren: Laura Van Devender Stansell and her husband Tom, William Van Devender,Jr., Anne Van Devender, Clinton Van Devender, and great grandchild, Mollie Amelia Stansell. She leaves behind many nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Van Devender will be remembered as a patriotic Christian, devoted wife and mother, adoring grandmother and a kind and cheerful friend and neighbor.

Her family thanks her doctors, James C. Hays and Henry Tyler; her wise and loving caretakers: Connie Black, Chiquita Moore and Pamela Kinzey.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Broadmoor Baptist Building Fund and to the First Baptist Church's TV Ministry.

For online condolences, go to www.wrightferguson.com.