Joyce Courtney

Joyce Courtney, 82, of Covington passed away Monday, December 16, 2013. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday, December 20, 2013, at Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors Chapel in Hillsboro with Rev. Tom Wood officiating. Burial will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, December 20, 2013, at Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park Cemetery in Colleyville. Visitation will be from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Thursday, December 19, at the funeral home.

Joyce was a very special person. She was as sharp as they come with opinions on every detail of life and people. But, she was rarely uncomplimentary or critical. She was a pioneer, bravely stepping out from her small town farming world and following her own independent path. Born and raised on a farm in Bedford, Texas, she left the state to start college in Illinois. In spite of great success there, she returned to Bedford to marry Jack Courtney, her partner for life.

She never regretted this decision and raised two children, finished her education, and became a math teacher. She eventually became a realtor and when the kids were gone, moved to a small farm in Covington where she lived until her death. Her retirement pursuits included quilting, the 42 Club of Itasca, grandchildren, a term in the Texas Silver Haired Legislature representing the Heart of Texas district, and lovingly and with the help of her wonderful neighbors maintaining a beautiful park-like farm.

Joyce had some wonderful contrasts in her life. She had excellent math skills and loved to work with numbers, but she hated computers and refused to ever sign on to the internet. She was an excellent seamstress and prolific quilter, but her footwear of choice for any occasion was tennis shoes with a couple of holes in them. She was a wonderful baker of pies and cakes but her meatloaf and most main dishes were pretty scary. She was a marvelous lady with a life full of friends, family, and accomplishments.

Survivors include two children, Jack Courtney and wife, Donna, of Georgetown and Barbara Domel and husband, Michael, of Meridian; brother, Wayne Clowers and wife, Penny, of Haltom City; two sisters, Francis Knight of Van and Judy Smith of Richardson; three sisters-in-law, Jean Clowers of Comanche, Joyce Clowers of Haltom City, and Cookie Burke of Harleton; six grandchildren, Courtney, Matthew, Andrea, Ben, Heather, and Cody; four great-grandchildren, Jack, Lily Ann, Roslyn, and Hadley.

Visitation

Thursday December 19, 2013 , 6:00 - 7:30 P.M. at Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors in Hillsboro

Funeral Service

Friday December 20, 2013 , 10:00 A.M. at Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors in Hillsboro

Burial

Friday December 20, 2013 , 2:00 P.M. at Bluebonnet Hills Memorial Park Cemetery