Mrs. Joyce Duckett

Joyce passed on from her life on earth on Friday May 10, 2019 and went to be with her lord Jesus Christ in Heaven. Joyce was born in May 1926, in Waycross Ga., as the youngest child in her family and now is the last survivor to pass on. She is predeceased by her parents: James and Mittie Sentell Hardegree, her siblings James F. Hardegree, William (Bill) Hardegree, Katherine Hardegree and Doris Hardegree Davis. She was born and raised of the great depression from where her family moved to Sandy Springs, Ga. and established their lives and community. Joyce was a smart and intelligent learner from her elementary school through out a life of continued education and learning and ultimately a Masters of Law degree. Joyce founded her own income tax preparation and small business accounting advisory company and worked tirelessly for over 25 years until retirement. She was an avid reader and a bible scholar where upon she read and studied the bible from Genesis through Revelations over a dozen times. Her affinity and love for language and reading was affirmed with her publishing 2 novels: most notably her somewhat fiction but mostly autobiographical, "Though He Slay Me". She was a formidable story teller especially to her young grandchildren mixing some truth with much more intrigue to compel much cackle and laughter. She found her true love and husband, James (Jimmy) Duckett, Jr., and began her own family in 1954. Survived by her 3 children: Charles Preston Duckett and wife Mary, Michael (Mike) Duckett and Diane Duckett Gentry, her 3 granddaughters: Haley A. Duckett, Leah Gentry and Emily Simpson and husband Mark and 3 great grandchildren. Joyce is also survived by nine nieces and nephews. Upon her retirement with Jimmy they built their retirement home on Lake Arrowhead and began the next life journey with old friends and new friends and a new community. The relaxed atmosphere far away but not too far from their roots in the Atlanta area suited them well. All of these plans were laid in action and then suddenly interrupted when Jimmy passed way too soon in May 1989. Joyce's life was centered around all of her family and fortified by her profound faith and love for Christ and Family and Friends. If Joyce called you as friend then you were cherished by her for all of her long blessed life. Her Christian faith journey began early in life and continued throughout life as she nurtured her faith and she was never shy about sharing that faith with others in need. The substance of her profound faith was always present in her warm smile and loving eyes of blue. She lived a happy and full and admirable life as a mostly independent woman well ahead of her time. She will be missed by all that came her way. Amen