Joye Ellen (Floyd) Lanford

Joye Floyd Lanford

WOODRUFF- Joye Ellen Floyd Lanford,93, widow of the late Francis Marion Lanford to whom she was married for 60 years entered her Heavenly home Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at Regional Hospice Home.

  She was born February 4, 1931, in Walnut Grove, S.C. to the late Mack and Patra Grant Floyd.  She was a charter member of New Life Baptist Church and a present member at Antioch Baptist Church.  She loved her church, her church family, but more importantly, she loved Jesus.  She loved the old hymns and Southern Gospel Music.  She was always ready to go to singings with anyone who asked.

  Joye’s love for children led her to work at Kiddie Korner Day Care where she cared for many children of the Woodruff community.  Once the first grandchild was born, she decided to stay home and keep grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  She was well-known for loving and caring for children so she was in great demand for childcare.  She loved and treated the ones she kept like her own.

  She was always on the go every day until she became unable to drive.  She loved visiting nursing homes and shut-ins with her church family, making sure that happy songs were sung.  She enjoyed going grocery shopping every day, getting $10 worth of gas at a time with cash just so she could go in and talk to the clerk, and stopping by Arthur State Bank (South Branch) whether she needed to do any banking or not.  She loved seeing all the friends that she made and would often take them slices of a cake that she had made.

  She loved working in her yard.  She was never afraid of hard work, whether it was tending her flowers, cutting her grass, trimming bushes and trees, or gathering corn and other vegetables from Kim’s garden.

  Surviving is her family that was her pride and joy, two daughters, Fran Burgess (Tommy) and Faye Lanford (Rob); son, Kim Lanford (Peggy); daughter-in-law, Kimberly Lanford (the late Kirk); one brother, Marvin Floyd; 9 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren.  She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and special friends and many children who called her “Grandmother”.  She was predeceased by two sons, Keith Lanford and Kirk Lanford, a great-granddaughter, Sadie Mae Norris and she will meet them in Heaven those grandbabies and great-grandbabies that she was unable to hold here on this earth.

  Funeral services will be held Friday, May 3, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. at Antioch Baptist Church by Rev. Danny Garrett and Rev. Jordan Lanford.  Interment will follow in the church cemetery.

  Serving as pallbearers, Jared Lanford, Zane Lanford, Barry Burgess, Jacob Lanford, Jayden Lanford and Aidan Lanford.

  Honorary Escort will be the Silver Blessings Sunday School Class and special friends.

  Visitation will be held from 2:00 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. prior to the service in the church sanctuary.

  Because of her love for visiting shut-ins, gifts of flowers will be shared with those she visited and because of her love of children, financial donations may be made to the Antioch Baptist Church Children and Youth’s ministries, 13683 Hwy. 221, Enoree, S.C. 29335.

  The family wishes to thank all of you who visited, sent cards, flowers, and food, helped us care for Mother and fervently prayed for her and us throughout this difficult time.  A special thanks to Spartanburg Regional Hospice Home Staff for your kindness and special care.  We ask for God’s blessings on each of you.

  The family is at the residence, 500 Harris Bridge Road, Woodruff

  Lanford-Gwinn Mortuary