Joyce Denson Hart

Joyce Denson Hart passed away peacefully at Transitions LifeCare, Raleigh, NC after a brief battle with cancer.

Known as “Mama”, “Memaw”, “Grandma”, and “Jeece” to her family and friends, Joyce was born February 5, 1933 in Chatham Co. NC to Flossie Wicker and David Denson – a family gifted in music. In her early years, Joyce and her sisters were known as the “Occoneechee Serenaders”, singing on WPTF Radio station, Raleigh, NC, performing at various churches and community wide events in the Sanford/Pittsboro area. Years later, “The Hart Trio” was formed where Joyce sang country and gospel music with two of her daughters.

Joyce graduated from Apex High School, Apex, NC in 1951. After working as secretary for two years, Joyce married her high school sweetheart Nyle Carl, February 8, 1953 and were married for 66 years.

Joyce was a homemaker and worked full time on the farm with her children raising beef cattle, horses, tobacco, hay and Certified Seed grain and soybeans. She loved being outside in nature and enjoyed watching her favorite birds feed, especially the Hummingbirds and Cardinals. One highlight of her life was carrying on the tradition of selling Christmas trees with the family in the hay barn. She loved to greet, hug and catch up over the past year’s events for all the family and friends coming to buy a tree!

She had a sweet warm smile and loved giving big hugs to everyone she met. She was a kindhearted loving woman and was a fabulous cook. She always offered company to come in and “eat” and was best known for her blueberry and apple cobblers.

Joyce was active in Woodland Baptist Church, Wake Forest, NC where she sang in the Adult Choir, was Children’s Sunday School teacher and GA/Acteen’s leader for many years. She was the epitome of Deacon, caring for her church families with home visits, meals, Christmas wreaths and birthday cards.

After “sort of being” retired, Joyce and Nyle enjoyed traveling in their 5th wheel camper to Florida for the winter, enjoying the sun and playing Bingo. They especially loved spending time at the Green Cove, VA mountain homeplace in the summertime.

A funeral service will be held at 3 o'clock Sunday afternoon October 24, 2021 at Woodland Baptist Church. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.

Joyce is survived by her children Lisa Bailey (Joel), Constance Hart Whitfield (Ronnie), Wendy Hart, Franklin Hart (Terri), 8 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews and her fur baby, Daisy. She is preceded in death by her husband, Nyle, daughter Angela Ray and son Anthony Carl.

In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the Woodland Baptist Church Building fund or Saving Grace Animal Adoption.