Joyce Lee Dunham

Joyce Hershman Dunham, 80, was born on August 24, 1936 in East St. Louis, Illinois to her parents Helen Bouscher Hershman and James Wesley Hershman. She went to be with her Lord on Monday, September 26, 2016 and was preceded in death by her parents and brother, James A. Hershman, and sister-in-law, Rita Hershman.

Joyce was reared in East St. Louis and Fairview Heights, Illinois. She was a graduate of Belleville Township High School in Belleville, Illinois and Sandford Brown Business College in St. Louis, Missouri. She and her husband, Robert K "Bob" Dunham married June 20, 1956 and moved to Houston in May, 1962 and were blessed with five children, ten grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. She is survived by her husband, Bob; son, Kirk and wife Colleen Dunham; son Mark and wife Becky Dunham; daughter Kathy Dunham and partner Jackie Klieger; daughter, Debbie Poncik; daughter Karen Skjonsby and husband Nathan Skjonsby.

Kirk and Colleen's children, daughter Monica and Donald Meisenheimer, son Daryl and Sarah Dunham and grandson Elijah, son Derek and Brittany Dunham, granddaughter Makenna and grandson Bryce.

Mark and Becky's children, daughter Samantha and Joshua Grothe and grandson Beckett, daughter Minda Dunham, and son Robert Andrew "Andy".

Debbie's children, daughter Cassie and Emily Poncik and son Zachary Poncik.

Karen and Nathan's children, son Maxwell Skjonsby and daughter Emma Skjonsby.

Joyce was blessed to work in the church ministry for 25 years of her life as Catechist and Director of Religion Education at St. Francis de Sales Parish and St. Justin Martyr Parish, Associate Director of the Galveston-Houston Archdiocese Office of Continuing Christian Education, and as Pastoral Associate at St. Cecilia Parish.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Citizens for Animal Protection (CAP) or Star of Hope Mission.

Of all the blessings in her life, her Baptism in the Roman Catholic Church at the age of 17 was for her, the true “beginning” of her life. She considered her greatest ministry of love to be her family – large, loud, and loving!

Friends are invited to visitation with the family on Friday, September 30, 2016 from 5:00 pm until 8:00 pm at Earthman Southwest Funeral Home at 12555 South Kirkwood, Stafford, TX 77477. Funeral Mass will be on Saturday, October 1, 2016 at 10:00 am at St. Laurence Catholic Church, 3100 Sweetwater Blvd. Sugar Land, TX 77479.