Joyce Reark Lamar

Wages & Sons Funeral Home 1040 Main St; Stone Mountain Visitation 11 am- 12pm June 16, 2024 Butterfly release 12:45 Brunch afterwards RSVP for Brunch only please

Joyce How do I begin to sum up the incredible life of this amazing woman. So many words could be used to describe Joyce LaMar: Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Friend, Business Wiz, Trusted Confidant, and Partner in Crime (that goes to the grave). When you first meet Joyce you immediately notice her never ending infectious smile: then you catch her joyful and honest demeanor; next you understand her amazing ability to listen and analyze anyone’s problems; and finally you realize she has responded with her spot on solutions for anything you face delivered with love and care. Childhood Joyce lived in a golden era when a young country was coming of age. And she lived her life with a zest for adventure and excitement. At 6 years old she and her friend exercised Greyhounds in Miami where she grew up. Later, she swam in Biscayne Bay with the Barracudas As a young girl her family drove the Seven mile bridge near Marathon, Florida (the longest bridge in America at the time) with no rails for protection.

At night, in the 1930’s, she loved listening to the Radio Spooky Stories with bone chilling names like The Devil’s Due and The Knock at the Door. Later, during the war as a beautiful teenager she became a USO Hostess and danced with weary GI’s already learning how to bring joy into someone’s life during the toughest times. And… it was joyful for her as well as one of those GI’s, George LaMar, who would become her husband and father of all her children. Together, as a young married couple they would hunt for Food while students at UF —Frog Gigging in the back swamps- She was head gigger and George was the driver! Mmm good …tastes like chicken! Mom-hood Momma Joyce had her hands full. While she became a skilled craftswoman and Girl Scout leader extraordinaire for Georgia, she also a diligent referee to many a back yard rumble in the jungle as Jack and Chuck advanced through school. When the boys weren’t boxing, they were organizing pick-up games of every size with all the neighborhood kids and Momma Joyce was often either the referee or dodging footballs and basketballs at the backdoor. And her frog gigging days made her the perfect momma to handle her boy’s skunks, alligators and Pythons including one who disappeared in the house for 8 months. When not chasing snakes, she taught most neighborhood kids how to drive a stick in her Powder blue 65 Convertible Mustang. Somehow between all those games, Joyce became her church secretary, summer camp organizer, and inventor of an innovative program to identify children with Disabilities- far ahead of its time She also had many other talents such as an accomplished Water Skier, golfer, and Tennis Player (with a deadly drop shot) as well as Card shark with the steeliest poker face ever seen at Fieldstone Country Club. Travel-hood As the kids grew up and began their own lives, Joyce lived to travel and visited 6 of the 7 continents only missing Antarctica. For decades she traveled with her lifelong companion Bob Russell riding camels around the pyramids of Egypt, cruising the Volga River in Russia, wining and dining – even unusual Sushi in Japan (well they had to since they were guests!), and sightseeing in the likes of Rome, Paris, and her favorites Vienna, Prague and Budapest. And their annual 4th of July trek to Tybee Island for the sun, beach, and fried shrimp at AJ’s Dockside went on for some 30 years.

Tax-hood Joyce somehow found time to build an amazingly successful tax business full of Tax Customers found solely through referrals. In true Joyce style she did taxes, was personal Coach, Financial Psychologist for Businesses and Personal issues. As she often said, when – you know people’s finances they will tell you everything! She worked into her 90’s, never flaunting her high IQ, always taking care of old and new business, and perhaps doing the perfect “Joyce” thing: picking up as a client one of America’s top Rap Groups at the age 92. Even the hip knew where to go to hop. We couldn’t have asked for a better Mom. A soft hearted, high bar setting, family and life loving mom who cherished not just her family – but everyone whose life she touched.

In Lieu of Flowers: Joni&Friends Sharing hope https://joniandfriends.org/ Email for notification: georgial@mindspring.com