BARBARA JOYCE SHULL,
80, died peacefully Saturday, July 11, 2020, at home in North Little Rock, Arkansas, after courageously fighting Parkinson’s Disease for several years. Joyce was born in Hughes, Arkansas, March 2, 1940, to Victor and Velva (Griggs) Beene.
She graduated from Hughes High School in 1958 and graduated from Arkansas State University in 1962, where she majored in business education.
Joyce married her high school sweetheart Jimmy Ray Shull on September 4, 1960, at Hughes First Baptist Church. They lived in campus housing at ASU until they graduated in 1962, and then moved to Marianna where Joyce taught elementary school.
In 1965, the Shulls moved to Hughes, where they raised their children and made many memories with friends.
Joyce was always very involved with her children’s activities at school and church. She served as Board President of Steudlein Learning Center in West Memphis, where her son Ken attended school.
Joyce was blessed with lifelong friends in Hughes and often reminisced about 4th of July neighborhood cookouts, bridge club, tennis club, and church activities. Joyce served at Hughes First Baptist Church in a variety of ways, including 25 years as a preschool Sunday School teacher. She loved being a part of the Ruth Sunday School class.
She and Jimmy enjoyed attending alfalfa farming conventions, several Caribbean cruises, and bus tours with friends.
After their children were grown, Joyce joined Jimmy in farming soybeans and wheat near Hughes and often teased that she was good at driving the tractor to break up the ground but expected to graduate to being allowed to plant.
A devoted wife, mother, Nana, and friend, Joyce’s greatest joy was spending time with her family. The grandchildren loved to spend weekends and holidays in Hughes playing grocery store and “pool-ball,” and swimming and climbing the big magnolia tree in the front yard. Nana loved teaching them how to cook, knit, and crochet. The grandchildren have treasured memories of vacations with Nana and Pop including many trips to the Memphis Zoo, along with Silver Dollar City, the beach, and Virginia.
Joyce and Jimmy never missed a grandchild’s birthday party and attended many band concerts, baseball games, plays, school musicals, and dance recitals.
After moving to North Little Rock in 2007 to be closer to the grandchildren, Joyce and Jimmy became active members of Park Hill Baptist Church. Joyce cherished her friendships from Sunday School, ladies Bible study, and the turban ministry for cancer patients.
Joyce was preceded in death by her oldest brother, Tommy, and her parents. She is survived by husband Jimmy, son, Ken, son, Mike (Beth), and daughter, Sandra Boatman (Jay); grandchildren, Michael Shull (Gulya Soltangulova), Hannah Shull Benton (Taylor), Emily Shull, and Kristen and Andrew Boatman; and younger brother, Bill Beene (Betty).
The family appreciates your prayers and encouragement as they hold a private service because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Memorials may be made to The Baddour Center, P.O. Box 97, Senatobia, Miss., 38668, or Park Hill Baptist Church, 201 East C Ave., North Little Rock, Ark. 72116. Arrangements provided by Roller-Owens Funeral Home, 5509 John F Kennedy Blvd., North Little Rock, Ark. 72116.