Most people recognize her as Joyce or Miss Honey. She was a wife, mother and caregiver to her husband Floyd Alton Honeycutt and many children entrusted in her care. Born to Elmer and Lillian Osborn Wilkes on July 2, 1934 in Mount Vernon, GA. She graduated from Baker High School in Columbus, GA in 1951. She soon married J.C. Copeland of Waco, TX. After moving to several military base locations they eventually settled in Waco, TX. It was there she attended and graduated as a licensed beautician from Waco Beauty Culture. On June 2, 1958 she gave birth to her first child, Catherine Marie Copeland. The marriage soon ended and she remained in the Waco area for a while. Then in 1960 as a single mother she worked two jobs, beautician and as a carhop at Chathams Drive-Inn where she met her future husband and love of her life Mr. Floyd Alton Honeycutt. On October 22, 1963 they married in Pheonix City, AL. The couple made their home in Temple, Texas for the next 56 years. On September 18, 1964 their daughter Lisa Diann was born and then on May 21, 1968 with the addition of Melinda Joyce. The family was soon numbered with five. Mrs. Honeycutt had always worked and she wanted to be a contributing partner in raising their girls. In 1971 Mrs. Honeycutt began her daycare services that she might financially contribute and also be home for the care of her own family. Although she never advertised her services, the word soon spread and she became the loving part time mother to hundreds of children in the Bell county area. Every morning at 6am she welcomed the children into their home providing meals and tender loving care, preschool instruction , hugs, kisses, and little birthday celebrations to all her kids. There was always a Christmas gift from her for each child and often to any siblings they had. For she beleaved that Christmas was about love and all should be included. Mrs. Honeycutt was a Christian and long time member of Heights Baptist Church in Temple, Texas. There she often worked in the church nursery and also as a Sunday school teacher. She would also volunteer at C.T.L.C. Help Center in Temple. On March 2, 1975 Mrs. Honeycutt became a grandmother to Crystal Darlene Relf after the passing of her daughter, Cathy in 1989 became her fulltime mother. She is preceded in death by her daughter Cathy Relf, parents, sister, Dorothy Mann and granddaughter, Meagen Ferstl. She is survived by her husband, Floyd of 56 years, daughters, Lisa Wofford of Temple, Melinda Ferstl, of Corpus Christi, and Crystal Relf Garcia and husband Scott of Austin, her step-daughter Becky Dickey and husband Freddie of Houston, grandchildren, Robert, Justin, Jacob, Zachary, Nicholas, Christian Ferstl, Seth Wofford and wife Ashley, Mikayla Wofford, Hannah Wofford and many other grandchildren, nieces, nephews and other family members.
A visitation for Lela will be held Thursday, December 5, 2019 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home, Temple, Texas. A funeral service will occur Friday, December 6, 2019 at 2:00 PM at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home, Temple, Texas. Burial will follow at Pendleton Cemetery.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.crawfordbowerstemple.com for the Honeycutt family.
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