Joyce Elizabeth Bradford, 67, of Lumberton, joined our Heavenly Father on Saturday, March 16, 2013, at Harbor Hospice, Beaumont. She was surrounded by her husband and children. Joyce was born on March 19, 1945, in Lewiston, Idaho, and grew up in the little town of Pomeroy, Washington, in the middle of wheat country.
Joyce was a proud graduate of Washington State University where she received her degree in dietetics and later her master’s from Lamar University. After graduation from college and during the Vietnam War, she proudly served her country as an Army officer from 1967 to 1969 and completed her internship at Brooke Army Hospital in San Antonio. Her next assignment was Fort Sill Oklahoma, where she met the love of her life, Wallace, who was a pharmacist in the Army. They were married almost forty-four years and had two wonderful children.
During her professional career as a clinical dietitian, Joyce worked and retired from Beaumont Medical and Surgical Hospital after twenty years. Then, she worked eleven years at the Veterans Administration Outpatient Clinic. Her passion was helping diabetics live a healthy life and towards that goal she took the test and became certified as one of the first Certified Diabetes Educators in the United States.
Joyce is survived by her husband, Wallace Bradford; son, Craig Bradford of Saginaw; daughter, Julie Bradford of Pearland; and brothers, Bernard Bell of Tucson, Arizona; Douglas Bell and his wife, Michele, of Olympia, Washington; Sterling Bell and his wife, Kelly, of Sequim, Washington; and David Bell of Lacey, Washington.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Rowena and Massey Bell of Pomeroy, Washington.
Joyce was a longtime member of Woodcrest United Methodist Church and joined soon after moving to Lumberton in 1978.
A gathering of Mrs. Bradford’s family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 19, 2013, at Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont. Her funeral service will be 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, March 20, 2013, at Broussard’s. A graveside service will follow the same day at 2:00 p.m., in Houston National Cemetery, 10410 Veterans Memorial Drive, Houston.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Joyce’s memory to American Diabetes Association, 2400 Augusta Drive, Suite 175, Houston, Texas 77057.
