Joyce Pyrz

Joyce Pyrz, of Macon, passed away peacefully on August 18, 2023. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at 11:00 AM, in the chapel of Hart’s Mortuary at the Cupola. The family will greet friends one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow the service at Fort Hill Cemetery in Macon, Georgia.

Joyce loved her family. They were always her first priority. Even after they were grown, she always wanted to have an extra room available, just in case any of them needed a place to stay for a while. She delighted in spending time and spoiling all of them, from children to grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and now great-great-grands. She referred to all of them as her "babies." Several times, our family has been blessed to have had 5 generations living.

Over the years, many good memories were made on family vacations. For example, a trip to Panama City where we all shared one beach house. Twice renting a large Winnebago for trips to Illinois to visit extended family and Indiana to visit a long-time friend. And don't forget the various places we ended up to attend Streetrod Car Shows. Joyce endured many hardships in her life, but she remained strong and dedicated to her family and friends. She often told us, she lived a good life.

Joyce enjoyed traveling with the Payne City Women’s Club and Speer Travel Group. A couple of favorite trips was to Canada and Niagara Falls.

She joined her lady-friends, affectionately known as "The Golden Girls," at Johnny V's for breakfast every Wednesday. Then she would head over to Kroger on Senior Day. This was one of her social activities of the week. Honestly, she spent 3 to 4 hours there sometimes, chatting with the employees and possibly getting a hug or two from some workers or regular Wednesday shoppers.

She enjoyed baking cakes for her friends and others that she met on a regular basis. For instance, the doorman at the hospital where her daughter Andrea received her medical treatment, the man who parked her car, or the dentist just because he knew her great-grandson and everybody's birthday. She enjoyed seeing smiles on the faces of others when giving them cakes. We will miss those cakes, but we will miss our mother, grandmother, and friend even more.

She was a living example of Galatians 5:22. Christlike, full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

In her younger years, she took various classes for painting and crafts. She also enjoyed flower arranging, sewing, and making beautiful decorations and wreaths. Joyce was an avid reader. She spent a great deal of time at the library checking out reading material. This helped her vocabulary and her love of working crossword puzzles, which she found very satisfying.

Joyce was a very meticulous dresser. Her accessories matched her outfit, shoes, purse, and jewelry. Several of her doctors and her pharmacists always complimented her on how nice she looked, matching jewelry to whatever she was wearing. Smiling from ear to ear, her response was, "I'm so purty."

She was employed at Gay Clothing Company for many years and retired from Dunlap/Youmans Chevrolet. She was a member of West Highland Baptist Church.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, the late Raymond Lee James and Effie Gertrude Williams James; brothers, Henry Lawrence, Raymond, and Richard James; sister, Dorothy James; daughters, Andrea P. Lavender, and Karen Pyrz; and granddaughter, Erin Paige Pyrz. Joyce was blessed with a loving family.

She will be lovingly remembered by her children: Andrew "Butch" Pyrz of Macon, Raymond Pyrz of Franklin, KY, and Sue Jean P. Hall (Johnny) of Lizella. She was also survived by grandchildren: Denise F. Slade (Shannon) of Palm Coast, FL; Jennifer P. Bryant (Bill) of Moncks Corner, SC; Bart Floyd of Macon; Martin Pyrz of Franklin, KY; and Ramona P. Miliner (Chuck) of Bluffton, GA, great-grandchildren: Kasey Purvis, Jason, Canyon, and Paislee Slade; Tyler and Andrew Vaughn (Elizabeth); and Eli, Trinity, Caleb, and Caylee Pyrz. She also had the privilege of knowing her great-great-grandchildren, Ryder Purvis and Nathan Vaughn.

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. 

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