Rest In Peace, Joyce.
Joyce A. Farnelli (nee Clevenger), 82, of Williamstown, NJ, went home to be with the Lord on August 23, 2021. Born at West Jersey Hospital in Camden, she grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, before her family moved back to New Brooklyn, NJ and later, Williamstown.
Joyce graduated from Lower Camden County Regional High School in 1956. She began her career as a secretary to Cost Control and was named Queen of Owens Illinois in 1959 to represent her company in parades and public events. After marrying her “sweet Donnie” and becoming a mother, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Elementary Education and a minor in Teaching of Reading from Glassboro State College in 1977. Joyce was a natural-born teacher and served the Lindenwold School District as an elementary teacher for 25 years before retiring in 2002. She spent her retirement enjoying life and traveling the world: zip-lining through Costa Rica, kissing the Blarney Stone in Ireland, and cruising down the Mississippi River. She was a Charter Member of Open Bible Baptist Church for 73 years. She loved attending Sunday School and working to create bibles to be sent to countries that did not have access to the Word of God.
Her favorite job in the world was being a mom to her amazing daughter and “Mommom” to her family. Joyce attended every game, musical, pageant, and performance. She was readily available to help with homework and took her weekends to treat her grandchildren to sleepovers. She loved holidays (especially Christmas and Easter) and always had her house decorated for the occasion. She loved meeting with her “Birthday Girls” club to celebrate her dear friends and never missed her daily phone calls with Aunt Betty, Evelyn, and Diane. Joyce and her husband were yearly members of Pitman Broadway Theatre and loved attending musicals with their friends. She captured every memory in a photo album and loved sharing her memories with her family and friends. Joyce always said, when she gets to heaven, she wants to be in charge of the nursery and hold all the babies that get to heaven before their parents do.
Beloved wife for 60 years of the late Dr. Donald A. Farnelli. Devoted mother of Dr. Sandra Ray (Dr. Steve). Loving grandmother of Chelsea-Lee Joyce Hanke (Joshua), Steven Ray, Breanne Baney (Dr. Clinton) and Samuel Donald Ray. Proud great-grandmother of Lizzie Joyce, Josie, Emilia, and baby Max. Aunt “Joycie” to nieces and nephews that she loved dearly. Dear sister of Judith Ashmen (the late James Ashmen) and the late Joan Cline (the late Kenneth Cline). Loving daughter of the late Dorothy Clevenger-Super and the late Leroy Clevenger.
Relatives and friends are invited to a visitation on Thursday, September 2, 2021 from 5:00-6:00pm at Open Bible Baptist Church, 1073 New Brooklyn Road, Williamstown, with a Celebration of Life service beginning at 6:00pm. The Celebration of Life service will be held in honor of both Joyce and her husband, Dr. Donald Farnelli, who passed away in April of this year. No reception or meal will be offered following the service due to COVID. The family is requesting all in attendance wear a mask.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Open Bible Baptist Church, 1073 New Brooklyn Road, Williamstown, NJ 08094.
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