Joyce Yvonne Durham Barrett

Joyce Yvonne Durham Barrett (Joy), age 73, passed gracefully on wings of angels into the arms of God following an extended illness. The daughter of the late William Fletcher and Merle Ayers Durham, Joyce was born in Homer, GA on September 11, 1943 and was most recently a resident of Snellville, GA.

She is survived by her daughter, Lydia Barrett Griffin and granddaughter, Olivia Faith Griffin, of Snellville, GA; and siblings Max Durham of Cornelia, GA; Dwight Durham of Carrollton, GA; Celeste Durham Wilson of Thomasville, GA; and Mary Evelyn Durham Mitchell of Anderson, SC.

Joy attended Grady Elementary School in Homer, GA and Habersham County High School in Cornelia, GA. She received her BA in English from The University of Georgia (Athens, GA) and her Masters in Religious Studies from Atlantic University (Virginia Beach, VA). As a child, she was a member and co-pianist at Damascus Baptist Church (Homer, GA). She was also a member of Baldwin Baptist Church (Baldwin, GA); First Baptist Church (Griffin, GA) and Carver Road Baptist Church (Griffin, GA).

She was a prolific writer of magazine and newspaper articles and the author of a novel, Quiet Crazy; a children’s book, Willy’s Not the Hugging Kind; and co-author of several other books with her daughter Lydia; her granddaughter, Olivia; and sister, Celeste.

She was a teacher in Georgia public schools for 12 years. She also taught workshops on writing and meditation. In her later years, she became a mentor to other publishing writers.

Funeral Services are scheduled for 1:00 p.m., Monday, October 10, 2016 at Whitfield Funeral Home, North Chapel with Mr. Kent Durham and Dr. Bruce Morgan officiating.

The family will receive friends from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., on Monday, October 10, 2016 prior to the service at the funeral home

If you wish to honor Joy’s life, please consider donating to the charity of your choice or delivering flowers to nursing home residents

Arrangements are in care of Whitfield Funeral Home & Crematory, North Chapel, Demorest, Georgia. 706-778-1700

Those wishing to express online condolences to the family may do so by visiting our website atwhitfieldfuneralhomes.com.