Joyce Velda (Hess) Coleman

Joyce Velda (Hess) Coleman, 84, passed May 17, 2023. She was born July 9, 1938, to Alden and Melissa (Dielsavior) Hess in Cedar County. Joyce fell in love with James A. Coleman at the age of 16. She, in fact, asked him to marry her. He said “Yes,” and they were married June 18, 1955. They would have been married 68 years this upcoming June.
Joyce was always productive and busy throughout her life.When she was young, she helped her mom babysit, then loved helping her dad in his plumbing business. Her first real job was working at the soda/sundae shop across the road from the high school. She worked at Dunbrooke for a few years, for a short time she worked at the State Hospital in Nevada, Missouri, and then at Fowler & Short Attorneys in El Dorado Springs. She loved working for Walt and John Smith at the El Dorado Sun newspaper and later worked for The Star newspaper after the Smiths sold their business.
In 1960, when James became a pastor at Blue Ridge Church of God (Holiness), she became a pastor’s wife with many responsibilities. Joyce was a gracious hostess for the visiting evangelists who would often stay in her home for two weeks at a minimum and sometimes longer.
Being with the children of the church brought her joy as she taught Bible songs and verses as a Sunday school teacher and planned crafts and games for vacation Bible school in the summers. Joyce loved to work with plaster of Paris, macrame, and Tri-Chem paints, and could sew anything. During their long marriage, Joyce and James moved homes 24 times, primarily around the El Dorado Springs area, and built eight of those homes along the way.
She and James traveled to all the states in the United States, except Hawaii. Her most memorable trip was to the Cayman Islands for three weeks while James held a revival.
Joyce is survived by her husband, James Coleman; daughter, Carol Wood, and son, Michael Coleman, and daughter-in-law, Kathy Coleman; four grandchildren and their spouses: Waylon and Esther Wood, Linda and Jeff Chambers, Colby and Lindsay Wood and Christopher Coleman; ten great-grandchildren: Javen Keith, Colbie Jean Wood, Allie Wood, Avery Keith, Ian Wood, Otis Chambers, Adelaide Wood, Collin Wood, Leo Wood and Alexandra Coleman.
Preceding Joyce in death were her parents, Alden and Melissa Hess; brother Clarence Hess; and sister, Shirley Galloway.
Services for Joyce Coleman were held Tuesday, May 23, at Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home with Rev. Mark Avery officiating. Interment followed at Love Cemetery under the direction of Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home.
Pallbearers were Waylon Wood, Colby Wood, Christopher Coleman, Jeff Chambers, Javen Keith, Shelby Wood and Jim Troesser.
Memorial donations may be made to Hospice Compassus and left at the funeral home.
Online condolences may be left at: www.blandhackleman.com.