Mrs. Joyce Howell Funk

August 9, 1937 - August 10, 2019

Joyce Howell Edwards Funk passed away peacefully at Select Specialty Hospital in Pensacola, Florida on Saturday, August 10th, 2019, one day past her eighty-second birthday. Joyce was born in Canton, Mississippi on August 9th, 1937 to parents O.P and Evelyn Edwards. She was a graduate of Canton High School, class of 1955. Joyce retired from South Baldwin Regional Medical Center, where worked in medical records. She was preceded in death by her mother, Evelyn Groves Edwards, and father Oscar Pendleton “O.P.” Edwards of Canton Mississippi and her daughter Cynthia Caren Lazenby of Foley, Alabama. Joyce is survived by her husband of sixty-one years, William H. “Bill” Funk and son William S. “Scott” Funk, grandson, James Casey Branigin, his wife Crystal Branigin and four great-grandchildren, Maddie, Koda, Harlan and Fynn, all of Foley, Alabama, sister, Jerre Stancil of Clinton, Mississippi and niece, Stacie Jones of Brandon, Mississippi. Joyce had a variety of interests and enjoyed reading, listening to music, completing the New York Times daily crossword puzzle, “working the puzzle” as she called it, watching TV shows, Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. She enjoyed playing board and card games, such as Scrabble, Yahtzee, and Canasta. She never passed an opportunity to play video poker and slot machines. She enjoyed the beach, along with the sound of the surf immensely. She loved her nightly glass (or two) of red wine, even though others said that red wine wasn’t supposed to be chilled, that’s the way she preferred it. She enjoyed it along with her dark chocolate. She loved most anything to do with Ireland and Scotland and always had a yearning to visit. Her fear of flying always kept her from realizing that dream, yet she enjoyed living vicariously through any novel, travel show or movie that were based there. She dedicated her life to making sure that those around her knew that they were loved and well cared for, that they were happy and had a smile on their face. She was a very giving, caring and compassionate person who always sought and brought out the best in others. Her greatest pleasure was having her family around her, laughing, joking and enjoying a good meal. She was quick-witted and had a great sense of humor. The lives of all who knew her were truly blessed by having her in them and she will be missed greatly. She wished to be cremated and her ashes scattered at the beach in Gulf Shores, Alabama, Governors Creek in Green Cove Springs, Florida, as well as Juniper Springs, near Ocala, Florida, all of which were places of great joy for her and her family. The family will gather just as she always loved and have a small, private celebration of life ceremony in her honor. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made in her memory, to the American Lung Association. Online via www.lung.org or via mail at American Lung Association, National Direct Response Headquarters, 1200 Hosford Street, Suite 101, Hudson, WI 54016-9316.