Joyce Elaine Lynch

Joyce Elaine Lynch, a true southern lady, grew up in Lake City, SC and was one of five children.  She married Willie Lynch and had two daughters.  Moving to Charleston in the 60's opened up new opportunities for the family as Joyce became a kindergarten teacher at a Christian school, became a substitute teacher at her daughters' elementary school, and went back to college at CSU (formerly Baptist College). 

Throughout her life Joyce  loved  to dance, sing, swim, and was quite an acrobat. She loved to travel, go to the beach, go boating, and enjoy lavish cruises.  She was well read and an inspirational poet.  She was always eager to learn something new and was quite tech savvy for an almost eight decade young lady! 

Joyce was determined, accomplishing so many of her goals.  She ensured both of her daughters were as active as they wanted to be in dance, baton, and gymnastics (Elaine).  Joyce designed and sewed all of their baton costumes and worked extra to help pay for the lessons, trips, and entry fees for all the contests, recitals, and meets. Joan Simmons School of Dance offered adult tap and jazz, and of course, Joyce stole the recital shows with her "Charleston" moves! 

After earning her Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting degree with honors from CSU, Joyce became an accountant at Berkeley Electric Coop and later Santee Cooper.  After many years as a Senior Accountant, she ventured into Mary Kay and earned 7 career cars through her exceptional sales and positive leadership ability.  She was ready for another change and then worked for Verizon before officially retiring.  Not being one to sit on the sidelines, she then started watching her first great grandson while her granddaughter, Ashton, worked as a P.A. in NC. She would travel to NC and take care of Joshua for three days a week, while Lori came here two days a week.  After a year, Ashton and her family moved to Summerville and "Nana J" continued to lovingly watch her great grandkids up until she was hospitalized on February 7th.

Joyce was a devout Christian and adored her church, Faith Assembly of God.  She was musically gifted with a pitch perfect voice and sang on the radio as a child as well as on the Northwood Assembly Praise Team in her younger years.  She was brilliant in both Math and English.  With her high expectations of herself and her children, Lori and Elaine made all A's because that's what Joyce expected of them. She made sure their schoolwork was always completed correctly.  She always worked as if she were working for the Lord and always strived to do her absolute best.  Her family was never neglected as they were always paramount in her life.  

As she became "Nana J", her capacity to love grew stronger as the precious ways she loved her grandkids with the highest intensity was second to none.  She was very active with Collin, her baby grandson, not only in school work, but also taking him from school to soccer, violin, guitar lessons, and karate where he earned a black belt in two different styles of Tae Kwon Do. Nana was loving, devoted, and supportive of all three of her grandkids.  

She was the most selfless person with a true servant's heart, constantly putting others needs before her own.  She would be there for all of our family and her friends.  Whether you needed help, if you were going in the hospital, or needed accompaniment to the doctor's  office, she was always physically and emotionally present with a reassuring smile, genuine encouragement, and fervent prayers. Generosity was also her strong suit.  She was never one to shrink from a challenge, but rather she would meet it head on and give it everything that she had until the very end of her life on Earth.  She was such a strong woman of character and faith with an incurable, contagious laughter that brightened even the darkest room. 

While she was hospitalized recently she said several times that she wanted to go home.  She knew she would be going home to live with her daughter, Lori, at her house, but we knew that there was a chance that she meant she was ready to go to her heavenly home.  We are absolutely certain she has many diamonds in her platinum crown and that she is probably dancing "The Charleston" on the streets of gold and praising and singing to Jesus.  

Although we will deeply miss Joyce, her loving and vivacious memory will forever live in our hearts and minds until we meet in heaven.  Until then, when you think of Joyce please say a prayer to our Lord Jesus Christ as a praise thanking him for his sacrifice for those who choose to accept and worship him and live today knowing we will see Joyce again in Heaven.  We will always remember the steadfast love and kindness Joyce so freely gave to all.

Joyce is survived by her daughters, Lori Schultz (Earl) and Elaine Woodard (Steve); her grandchildren, Davis Schultz, Ashton Schultz Carnes, and Collin Potter (Laura); her sisters, Kelsey Frye (Perry) and Kim Ard; her brother, Roger Cook (Donna); and her great grandchildren, Greyson Schultz, Asher Schultz, Joshua Carnes, Arianna Carnes, Braxton Potter, and Lenna Charley Potter.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, April 21, 2024 at 4:00pm at Faith Assembly of God, 303 North Goose Creek Blvd., Goose Creek, SC 29445.  The family is asking that guests wear colorful clothes or their favorite color, if possible, to the Celebration of Life in honor of Joyce because she loved colorful clothes.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Faith Assembly of God, 303 North Goose Creek Blvd., Goose Creek, SC 29445.

Expressions of sympathy may be viewed or submitted online at mcalister-smith.com.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to McAlister-Smith Funeral & Cremation, 869 St. James Ave., Goose Creek, SC 29445, 843-553-1511.