Joyce Fincher Bishop

Joyce Fincher Bishop was born on March 2, 1941 and entered eternal rest on May 25, 2025. A funeral service will be held on Friday, May 30, at 1:00 PM. at Hart's Chapel at the Cupola, 6324 Peake Road, Macon, GA. The family will greet friends during a reception following the service at the Cupola. A private burial will take place at Macon Memorial Park.

Joyce was the daughter of the late Mary and Raymond Edward Fincher, faithful wife of 62 years to Melvin Eugene Bishop (“Gene”), devoted mother to their only child Meredith Bishop Stiff of Augusta, and loving grandmother to Valerie Rose Vincent of Chicago and Mary Margaret Stiff of Augusta.

Joyce was born and raised in Macon, Georgia as an only child. Her infant brother, Edward Douglas Fincher, died at 9 months old prior to her birth.

During her sophomore year at A.L. Miller School for Girls and as Head Majorette, Joyce caught the eye of Gene who played tenor saxophone in the Lanier High School for Boys band. After graduating summa cum laude from Emory University, Joyce joined Gene in holy matrimony at Cherokee Heights Baptist Church on August 11,1963. They lived in the same Northwoods home for 60 years before health challenges required a move to Augusta in May of 2023. During her last two years living in Augusta, Joyce found joy in spending abundant time with her 14-year-old granddaughter MaryMargaret and benefiting from the love and devoted care of her daughter Meredith.

Joyce enjoyed years of elementary school teaching and helped establish Stratford Academy’s inaugural kindergarten program. After the death of her father in 1974, Joyce helped her mother in the family business – Fincher’s Pit Barbecue on Columbus Road, a notorious Macon treasure that was founded in 1937 by her father Raymond Fincher and her grandfather Arthur Brice Fincher. She retired with her mother Mary Fincher in October 1997 when she assumed the role of “Mama Joyce”, grandmother extraordinaire to Valerie Rose whom she loved “to the moon and back”.

Joyce was an active member of Cherokee Heights Baptist Church for 22 years and Ingleside Baptist Church for 62 years. Joyce was confident in the unconditional love of God for all people. She was a member of Phi Mu Sorority, the Macon Junior Woman’s Club, and Macon Jaycetts.

Joyce will be remembered for speaking her mind from her heart. She assured students, daughter, grandchildren, and friends that they can “do hard things” thanks to their God-given gifts waiting to be unwrapped and invested.

Joyce demonstrated resilience and courage as she chose joy amidst two decades of difficult health challenges. She was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2019, but the Lord answered her fervent prayer to always be able remember and recognize the people and the pets she loved and to be able to call their names. She believed that laughter is the best medicine, grace bats last, and that love will have the final word.

Left to cherish her memory are her daughter Meredith Stiff and son-in- law James K Stiff of Augusta, granddaughter Valerie Rose Vincent and grandson-in-law Shawn Patrick Vincent, Jr, of Chicago, and granddaughter Mary Margaret Stiff of Augusta, and brothers-in-law Charles W. Bishop and William R. Bishop.

The family expresses deepest gratitude for Charles A Bishop (“Tony”), beloved nephew, for his unwavering support over the last two years as well as Trinity Hospice of Augusta, especially for the compassionate care of “best friend Juliana”, and Nurse Shakaira as well as her beloved caregivers and friends Brittney and Dee.

Pallbearers are Charlie, Randy, Tony and Jeff Bishop, Patrick Vincent, and Jim Stiff.

In lieu of flowers, the expressions of sympathy in the form of donations may be made in Joyce’s memory to the ministry she loved: Goodwill Industries of Middle Georgia ( www.goodwillworks.org/make-a-gift ), 5171 Eisenhower Parkway, Macon, GA 31206 or to any charity meaningful to the donor.

Please visit www.hartsmort.com to express condolences.

Hart’s at the Cupola, Hart's Mortuary and Cremation Center, 6324 Peake Rd, Macon, GA 31210 has charge of the arrangements.