Joyce Marion Bibbs

Joyce Marion Bibbs was born in Chicago, Illinois on July 16, 1953 to William and Nellie Seay. She was the fifth child of eleven girls and one boy. While attending Harlan High School, Joyce dedicated her life to Jehovah and was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1968. She met the love of her life, Thaddeus “Ted” Bibbs, in 1969. Many times, Ted would walk over railroad tracks and many miles to visit Joyce at home under the watchful eyes of her mother, her stepfather Jerry Baker, her brother Vernon and her ten sisters. Ted and Joyce married on October 7, 1972, and started their lives together in Hyde Park, IL, attending a congregation of that same name. Often times, in talking to Ted or about him, she would call him Bae. He, in turn, would call her Lil’ Dahlin. In September 1973, Joyce gave birth to their only child, a beautiful daughter. Teresa was Ted’s & Joyce’s joy from the time she was born. Joyce and Teresa were inseparable! When they moved to the Kensington Park Congregation, Joyce enjoyed the privilege of pioneering. While in the ministry, she formed strong friendships that continued throughout her life. Joyce was unable to continue in the full-time service, but her zeal for the ministry never wavered. She continued to draw close to Jehovah and relied on him for strength to continue in his service. When she lost her sight, you would still find Joyce out in the ministry and very rarely missing a meeting, never allowing her circumstances to define her. Joyce enjoyed many other privileges of service such as hosting meals with Ted for some of the circuit overseers and their wives, accompanying him to various congregations when he gave talks, and being interviewed with her proud husband, at a district convention on coping with her illnesses while continuing to serve Jehovah. Joyce loved to sew and even made beautiful costumes for one of the dramas. While others appreciated her sewing talent, Teresa was not one of them. Her mother would “drag her” to the fabric store to pick out patterns and material. Teresa preferred to shop and buy clothes that had tags on them, until she had four girls of her own. Despite her struggles, Joyce never complained and you could always see her smiling and hear her laugh. She loved spending time with her granddaughters and they loved being with her. When she would get together with her sisters, they would talk, joke and laugh with each other, at heightened volume, all at the same time. Joyce’s laugh might not have been the loudest, but you could always pick out that distinct laugh. When they started singing and dancing, Ted would just close the door and let them have at it. When the comment was made to him that he set a good example for husbands in showing love and care through good and challenging times, he said “Joyce made it easy for me to love her.” Joyce fell asleep in death on August 30, 2020. She was preceded in death by her father, William Henry Seay and her stepfather, Jerry Baker. She is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 48 years, Thaddeus Bibbs; her caring and affectionate daughter Teresa (Eddie) Sanders; her mother Nellie Seay Baker; her mother-in-law Annette Bibbs; her siblings: Margie Edwards, Loretta Seay, Vernon (Wanda) Seay, Patricia Seay, Gloria Woods, Cathy (John) Burrage, Billie Seay, Terrie (Earl) Hopkins, Carolyn (Michael) Thomas, Sandra Baker and Sylvia (Brian) Hall; four granddaughters: Janyqua (Justin) Yobbka, Shannon Cunnigan, Shanean (Jarett) Jones and Kendra (Demonte) Halliburton; three great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends, all of whom Joyce said she wants to see in paradise.

Tributes

Joyce Marion Bibbs

July 15, 1953 - August 30, 2020