Joyce Anne Jarrard

OBITUARY

Joyce Anne Jarrard

Joyce was a loyal wife to Karl, sister to Cheryl, Kathleen, and Bruce; sister-in-law to Stephanie; aunt to Andrew, William, Bailey, and Nicole; great-aunt to Catherine and Ashley; friend to Joanna, Chris, Caleb, Joella, Miss Cherry, and many others too numerous to name. She was also mom to many fur-babies.

She was born in 1954 in El Paso, Texas to Jeff and Barbara Ferguson. Both were veterans of World War II who met in Okinawa in 1951. She was first in a long line of a family who has history back to the early immigrants to the United States. She met Karl in high school and married him, her high school sweetheart, on November 22, 1975. This year is their 50th wedding anniversary.

Joyce had a huge heart, a warm hug, and a ready smile. She never met someone who didn’t remember her large personality and sense of humor. She embodied the Scots-Irish heritage of Live Pure, Love Deeply, Laugh Often. Joyce opened her home to anyone who needed a safe place to get away from the noise of the world. She loved fishing, camping, nature, bingo, crocheting various items for friends and family, and collecting Beanie Babies. On any weekend, you could find her and Karl at one of the piers here in Norfolk casually fishing and chatting with fellow fishermen about the day's catch or any number of other topics.

Joyce was called home to the Lord on August 13th, 2026, in Norfolk, Virginia, after a difficult fight with illness. She embodied the Ferguson family motto – dulcius ex asperis – sweeter after difficulty. She will be missed by all she has touched and loved.