Mary "Joyce" Robinson's Obituary
Mary “Joyce” Robinson, 92, of Memphis, TN, passed away peacefully at home to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on March 11, 2023.
She was born in Hudson, NY to Clarence and Grace Platner on December 23, 1930. She attended school in a one room school house in rural NY state. The school had no electricity, water or toilet facilities. Water was from a spring and Joyce would help carry water with another student. All eight grades were taught. In this way she was able to learn material from the higher grades. She passed tough NY Regents Exam and graduated from High School when she was 16.
She graduated from New York State College for Teachers in Albany, NY with a major in math and a minor in music. She was a talented pianist and won several piano competitions. She had a career working with early computer programing in binary language and worked on turbines at General Electric and later Fighter Planes of North American Aviation in CA and Fighter Planes and Space Vehicles at McDonald Douglas in St. Louis.
She met her husband Jay at a church supper in Schenectady, NY. They were married and lived in CA, St. Louis, MO, Jonesboro, Arkansas, Chicago, Illinois area and settled in Memphis in 1970.
Joyce was active in church, playing piano and organ, singing in choirs. She was involved with the Republican Party, played tennis, bowling league and water skiing. She was a member of the King’s Daughters Home for Incurables, Women’s Bar Auxiliary, Landmark Club and President of the Greentrees Garden Club. She especially enjoyed spending summers on their boat at Pickwick Lake with her 3 grandchildren.
She is survived by her husband of 69 years, Jay, daughter, Jacqueline (Ronald) Aldridge of Charlotte, NC, grandchildren: Amy (Andrew) Edmondson of Denton, TX, John (Liudmyla) Waller of Copenhagen, Denmark, Claire (Daniel) Thomas of South Kingstown, RI and six great-grandchildren.
The visitation will be held on Sunday, March 19 at 1:30 p.m. with a funeral service at 2:30 p.m. at Central Church, 2005 E. Winchester Blvd, Collierville, TN, 38017.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Calvary Rescue Mission of Memphis.
Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave, Memphis, TN, 38119. (901) 767-8930
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