Leatrice "Joyce" Warren

Leatrice "Joyce" Johnston Warren, of Jonesboro, passed away peacefully at her home on Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at the age of 89. She was born on November 22, 1928 in Flint, Michigan to Hugh Bernice Johnston and Ethel Florence Worsham Johnston and was the youngest of six siblings. After residing in Clarkton and Malden, Missouri, Joyce and her family moved to Jonesboro in 1961.

Joyce was preceded in death by her husband of 40 years, Raymond Earl Warren; her parents; two sisters and their spouses, Gladys Johnston Dowdy (Robert) and Pansy Johnston McDougal (Prince); two brothers, Clifford Bryan (Crip) Johnston (Bobbie), and Kenneth Craig (KC) Johnston (Nellie); one great-grandchild, William Gregory Bracken; mother and father-in-law, E.B. and Rena Warren; four brothers-in-law, Junior Warren, Louis Warren, Bill Blake and Short Sullivan.

Joyce was a longtime member of the First Presbyterian Church in Jonesboro, where she served as an elder, and an active member of the “The Ruth Circle”.

Joyce was a 1946 graduate of Clarkton High School in Clarkton, Missouri, and earned a BSE and MSE from Arkansas State University in 1983. She began her teaching career at ASU followed by West Elementary School in Jonesboro, She taught at the Jonesboro Kindergarten Center for 16 years and retired in 1994. During the annual kindergarten graduation ceremony for her students, Joyce always prepared a personalized notebook for each child, highlighting their achievements including priceless mementoes. Joyce regularly competed in the National Senior Olympics, earning numerous medals for a variety of events. She also had a deep love for her family ancestry and traveled all over the United States, visiting libraries and cemeteries and researching the history of the Worsham-Johnston families. This research resulted in over 50 notebooks of material. Being of Scottish ancestry, Joyce loved to attend “Kirkin’ O’ The Tartans” at the First Presbyterian Church and also at Lyon College, in Batesville, Arkansas. Joyce was a member of the Arkansas Educational Association, the Jonesboro Classroom Teachers Association, the National Education Association, Arkansas Delta Kappa and Kappa Delta Pi.

Joyce enjoyed taking her grandchildren bowling, and teaching them numerous games and songs as well as manners. She often took her great grands to the library for “Story Time” and loved having tea parties for them with a silver tea set. She grew beautiful flowers and would garden with her granddaughter Amy who lived with her. After she retired, Joyce traveled extensively throughout the country, as well as abroad. She was always ready for a flea market or antique shopping trip with her daughters.

Joyce leaves behind four daughters, Linda Cooksey (Henry), Jo Ellen Warren of Jonesboro, and twin daughters, Carole Damron (Jim) of Jonesboro and Cathie McCormack (Greg) of Winterville, Georgia; seven grandchildren, Amy Cooksey, Warren Damron (Jamie), and Chris Damron (Breanne) of Jonesboro; Jessica Mathews (Ross) of Hot Springs, Arkansas; Will Cooksey (Erin) of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Molly Bracken (Bill) of Colbert, Georgia; and Sarah Joyce Lewis (Adam) of LaGrange, Georgia; and 15 great-grandchildren, Jayden, Katie, Caleb, (twins) John Mark and Lyla, and Reese and Mason Damron of Jonesboro; Malachi and Vada Mathews of Hot Springs; (twins) Ben and Maddie Bracken of Colbert, Georgia, and Max, Abby and Emma Joyce Lewis of LaGrange, Georgia; a sister, George Anna Beck of Sikeston, Missouri; and three sister-in-laws, Retha Blake of Malden, Missouri, Freda Warren of Clarkton, Missouri, and Brenda Sullivan of Rogersville, Tennessee; as well as numerous beloved nieces, nephews, and cherished friends, … and “Karma”, her granddaughter Amy’s delightful Shih Tzu.

Services will be Friday, May 25, at the First Presbyterian Church, 710 Southwest Drive, Jonesboro with the Reverend Stephen Moody officiating. Visitation will be from 12-1 pm, funeral service at 1 pm, followed by interment at Jonesboro Memorial Park Cemetery.

Pallbearers are Warren Damron, Chris Damron, Will Cooksey, Ross Mathews, Henry Cooksey,Greg McCormack and Adam Lewis. Honorary pallbearers are Jim Damron, Dr. Joe Stallings and Bill Bracken.

Special thanks to Elite Home Health, St Bernards Hospice and Home Instead Senior Care (Crystal and Breanna).

For lasting memorials, the family asks that consideration be given to The First Presbyterian Church, 510 Southwest Drive, Jonesboro, Arkansas.