Obituaries and remembrances.

1926-2018

Joy A. Strong passed away on March 15th, 2018. She is survived by her daughters Georgeann Strong and Charlotte Corpus. Georgeann has twin sons Thomas William

Strong-Gribble and Benjamin Larsen Strong Gribble and his fiancé Laurel Robinson. Charlotte is married to Gene Corpus. They have a son George Corpus. Mrs. Strong died at home with her daughter Georgeann Strong in Galveston, Texas. She was born on May 27, 1926 and was raised as a Baptist minister’s daughter in North Texas and Oklahoma. She went to Mary Hardin Baylor College. At one point the records building at the college burned to the ground, so she and her classmates told everyone that they graduated Magna Cum Laude. Her Mother taught elocution and Joy spent her life teaching Bible classes in the Suzanna Wesley Bible Class at St. Luke’s Methodist Church in Houston. Mrs. Strong joined St. Luke’s in 1952 and was honored with the Distinguished Life Award. She served as a Sunday school teacher, Bethel Bible Study teacher, Disciple Bible Study teacher, Friends at Home Communion Server, Friends at Home visitor, member of the Board of Stewards, and was one of the most consistent and knowledgeable delegates to the annual conference of the United Methodist Church. She was active in the Blue Bird Circle in Houston, Texas. She truly loved her Chautuaqua Study Club. This club is over 100 years old and was started by Miss Ima Hogg and a Methodist Minister at Miss Hogg’s cottage on Lake Chautauqua, New York. Delta Airlines was her first real job. Following this she worked in Houston at an independent oil company. While working for this company she met George, her husband of 43 years. Joy’s Baptist preacher father told her when they were to be married, “Joybird, you back to Houston and join this man’s church before you get married, because the man is the head of the family.” Joy joined St. Luke’s with Durwood Fleming officiating. Joy and George had a very active life with trips to their East Texas ranch and many activities in Houston. Along with St. Luke’s, they loved the Forest Club, the Knife and Fork Club, and the River Oaks Rotary Club. The Rev. Susan Kennard will officiate the Graveside service at the Strong Cemetery in Churchill near Henderson, Texas on Saturday the 24th at 12 noon. Serving as Pallbearers will be Benjamin Gribble, Thomas StrongGribble, George and Gene Corpus, Mark Foxworth, and David True will serve as an honorary pallbearer. The family wishes to express appreciation to her faithful caregiver, Frances Thomas and Essential Hospice. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to Trinity Episcopal School in Galveston, Texas or the Alzheimer’s Association.