Joyce Loretta Blanchard Leader's Obituary
Joyce Loretta Blanchard Leader, age 82, passed at home in Charlotte, NC on Sunday May 28th, 2023.
Joyce, affectionately known as “MaJoyce”, was born on February 22nd, 1941, to the late Henry Clarence Blanchard and Frances Agatha Tota (nee Leader) in St. Kitts, West Indies.
As a child she and her siblings lived in Molyneaux, St. Kitts with her grandparents Ada and Clarence Blanchard. When her grandmother passed away, she lived with her mother and stepfather, Cameron Tota, in Cayon. Joyce attended The Roman Catholic School. The family later moved to St. Peters Parrish where she attended The Immaculate Conception Catholic school in Basseterre.
As a young woman in St. Kitts, Joyce worked as a seamstress and hairdresser. She made many different types of clothing and loved to dress up. She moved to St. Thomas, USVI in the early 1970’s.
She worked at a fabric store and at Harvey laundry. Later she worked at both Frenchman’s Reef Resort and Yacht Haven Hotel. She worked in housekeeping and continued to sew for many on the island from her home in Pearson Garden.
While living in St. Thomas, Joyce was an integral part of the annual carnival celebration by making costumes and uniforms for the majorettes. Joyce moved to the Bronx, New York in 1986. She lived in Parkchester and was known for her vibrant personality. She worked as a home health attendant with Southeast Bronx Neighborhood Centers, Inc. Joyce became a naturalized American citizen while living in NYC. She was a member of St. Raymond’s Catholic Church. After retiring, she moved to Peekskill, NY briefly before relocating to Charlotte, NC in 2007.
She leaves to mourn her children: Kenville (Barbara), Denise (Delbert), Gregory (d.), Lester (Arlene), Wendy and Luna (Adrian)
Siblings: Ena (d.), Charlie (Rosetta), David (d.) (Edythe), Carl (Leona), Brenda (Levi), Bridgette, Jerris and Paulette
Grandchildren: Delano (d.), Delberth Jr., Dian (d.) (Jeliah), DeShaun, Denaesha, Christopher, Chrystal (Tarik), Chori (Nathan), Najee, Nia and Janel
Great Grandchildren: Demel, Ja’Dyn, Noah, Jonah, Amani, Mikaela and Cristal
Loved by many more family members and friends, too numerous to list including Nigel, Dwight, Dianne, Delynda (d.), Roger, Romeo, Rudy, May as well as Norma Isaac.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am on Saturday June 17th, 2023 at James Funeral Home of Huntersville, NC. Visitation with the family will precede the service with a start time of 10:00 am.
Online condolences and tributes may be made at www.jamesfuneralhomelkn.com
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