Joy Padilla-Anderson

February 28, 1975 - September 3, 2020

Joy Padilla-Anderson, 45, began her journey on September 3, 2020, to where one day we will all meet again and celebrate together. Faithful, fearless, and funny, Joy personified her namesake in this life and extended love and friendship to those who were blessed to have known her, and to strangers alike. Born into a missionary family in Tampa, Florida on February 28, 1975, Joy learned from her father, Pastor Victor Padilla, that service is the authentic act of love. She often recalled traveling with him to Mexico and Haiti to build homes where families could have shelter and care for one another. These early seeds of kindness grew and blended with her Puerto Rican heritage into what became her fierce and unapologetic love for life, “familia,” and friends. She lovingly spoke of her “abuela” (grandmother) as the one who taught her, through her actions, what it was to be loved. Joy’s own love was on full display when Puerto Ricans were suffering the devastation of Hurricane Maria in 2017. "I've cried every day. My heart hurts," she was quoted saying in the Commercial Appeal that year. Her pain fueled selfless and tireless work with local Puerto Ricans to organize aid and supplies so desperately needed by familia, friends, and strangers suffering the aftermath of the storm. This was her heart, this was her nature, and, love was her strength. Joy inherited her sixth sense of cooking from her Abuela who was an artisan of rich Latin flavors measured only by the soul seasoning each dish with love. Having worked in the service industry for many years, Joy knew she had to share her gift beyond walls. She established a food truck, appropriately named, The Joy Ride, and well known in Memphis, where she developed a following by a faithful tribe of patrons enamored by her spirit and her authentic, International award-winning Cuban Sandwiches that were like no other! Joy was an adventurer, outdoorswoman, and her husband, Josh’s, travel companion. They backpacked Costa Rica, hiked mountains, kayaked the Everglades, and mountain biked the Moab. Josh was the navigator as Joy did everything else. Asked how she would remember her Mom, Joy’s daughter, Ysabella, said “Iconic!” Iconic in her vibrancy for life, a heart bigger than self, hugs to feel forever, and above all “Keeper of the Flame.” Joy’s love for “familia,” as her primary purpose for living was the light and flame that warmed the hearts of everyone she encountered. Known as “Mama Joy” to Ysabella’s friends, Joy brought her passion of being a Rollerbderby star with her love for her Rollerberby sisters into Ysabellas’s volleyball experience. Joy is survived by her husband, Josh Anderson; her daughter and the light of her life, Ysabella Anderson; her mother, Ana Ilda Aviles; one sister, Yahira Padilla; three brothers, Victor, Joel, and Johand Padilla; and many nieces and nephews. Joy also leaves an extended family of countless friends who will carry her fierce and vivacious spirit in their hearts forever. The Celebration of Life service , which will be streamed lived, will be Saturday, September 19, 2020, at 1:00 pm at Memorial Park Funeral Home, 5668 Poplar Avenue in Memphis. To view the service click on the following link: http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/36801 To view the tribute slideshow click the link below: https://www.tributeslides.com/tributes/show/4J7C8NDKQX3YRKTK