Joyce F. Mullen, 83, of Ocala, Florida, passed away on May 25, 2024, in the care of Hospice of Marion County.
Joyce came into this world on April 25, 1941, the daughter of William Fazackerly and Jane Tisdale in Memphis, TN. As that union did not last, Jane and Joyce Anne lived with grandmother Annie Tisdale until she reached age five when Jane met and married Carl Alexander Morris, the man Joyce called “Daddy” for the rest of his life.
Carl was a career military, USAF, eventually leading him and his family to Omaha, Nebraska, where Joyce was introduced to a young airman, Fred Mullen, with whom she eventually married and shared her life for nearly 65 years. That union produced four children: Teri (Doug) Haigh, Sharon (George) Britton, David (Cree) Mullen, and Dana (Jeff) Gower.
Joyce had a versatile and accomplished career as a secretary, bookkeeper, teacher, and caregiver for young children. She graduated from Omaha’s South High School in 1959. Later attended the University of Alabama,Huntsville, earning an associates degree in Child Development.
An excellent cook, she took pride in her unofficial title of being “The Soup Lady,” and happily shared the results of that skill with friends, family, and sometimes complete strangers.
Joyce loved writing thoughts and musings in her daily journal, often sharing scriptures and quotes with family and friends. A believer in Christ, she was passionate about her love of Jesus and eager to share with anyone willing to listen. When she said, “I’ll pray for you,” she meant it! Joyce loved to sing, especially with family. When their family was younger, the group would sing in church and other venues. A musical friend once described her singing voice as a “Boss Alto.”
A favorite bible verse was Psalm 100, “Shout to the Lord all the earth. Serve the Lord with joy. Come before Him with singing! Know that the Lord is God.” Sometime in the 1980’s Joyce and others began a ladies prayer group, meeting weekly in our 11th Street den at 6 a.m. As in life, people come and go, but until her passing, the group continued to be viable and met on a more occasional basis with Joyce, Judy, and Barbara.
Because of Fred’s passion for theatre, and being the support-minded person she was, Joyce also became involved, first behind the scenes, as a board member, a fundraiser, and as a competent actor who won awards for her performances.
As a prayer warrior, Joyce embraced everyone as family and prayed daily for those in need, especially her
immediate family. She is predeceased by her parents, Carl and Jane Morris, brother Ivan “Dutch” Morris, and father William Fazackerly. She is survived by her husband, Fred, and daughters Teri (Doug) Haigh, Cary NC, Sharon (George) Britton, Tarpon Springs, FL, Dana (Jeff) Gower, Lecanto, FL, and son David (Christine) Mullen, Nashville, TN. Also surviving: Grandchildren: Kayla, Stephanie, Casey, Maggie, David, Jamie, Michael, Jasmine, Max, Josiah, Blane, Chandler, and Trenton. Great grandchildren: Leya, L.J., Avery, Mac, Ben, Emmie, Leo, Charlotte, Paxton, and Emmanuel, all of who their Mimi loved dearly. Also surviving is sister Billi Harrison, Hartsville, SC. Her many nieces and nephews around the country are mourning her passing as well.
The family would like to express gratitude for the expert care and compassion shown to our mom, grandmother, great grandmother, and loving friend by Ocala Regional Hospital’s stroke unit and the nurses and staff at Hospice of Marion County Cate’s House.