On July 18th Joyce Marie Poss Swinney was called to heaven by her Lord and Savior. Joyce was born on October 6, 1938, in Franklin County. Joyce was the only female in her graduating class at Florence State (UNA), where she earned a degree in accounting. Joyce spent the majority of her career as an accountant, first for the Mountain Brook Board of Education and later for the Franklin County Board of Education, from whence she retired.
Joyce raised, educated, and was a devoted mother to four children. Joyce spent her spare time sewing, teaching Sunday School, driving ill patients to and from doctor’s appointments, and other philanthropic
endeavors. Joyce was awarded the DAR Good Citizenship Award. She lived the standard represented by the award, as Joyce always placed the needs of others before her own.
Joyce’s parents, Ira Viola Underwood Poss and James Allen Poss, along with her brother, Billy Joe Poss, preceded her in death. Joyce is survived by her brothers James Poss (wife Billie Sue) and Wallace Poss (wife Sue Poss), and sister-in-law Zelda Poss; her children Jan Reid (husband Larry Reid), Pam Williamson (husband Chris Williamson), Allen Swinney (wife Read Swinney) and Jennifer Wilson (husband Jay Wilson); her grandchildren, Whitney Andrews, Erin Reid, Nicholas Swinney, and Owen Swinney; great-grandchildren, Asher Andrews and Ava Swinney; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Joyce’s children are forever grateful and fortunate for the sacrifices made by their mother for them, and for the love, character, work ethic, and morals she modeled and instilled in them.
Visitation will be on Saturday, July 20, from 2:00 to 3:00 PM, with the Funeral Service to immediately follow at 3:00 PM. Both will be held in the Chapel of Pinkard Funeral Home in Russellville, Alabama.
The family extends a special heartfelt thank you to the staff at Vitas Hospice in Panama City, which staff made Joyce’s last days as comfortable as possible for both Joyce and her children.
