Joyce Ann Hayden, 76, of Caroline County died peacefully Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023, at her son’s home in Woodford where she was receiving hospice care after a long illness.

She was born on March 4, 1947, in Pittston, Pa., to John and Marjorie (Loughney) Armour and had an older sister, Charlene. Joyce earned a business diploma from St. Patrick’s Academy in Washington, D.C., and then worked as a secretary at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

Marriage to Thomas Hayden brought the city girl to the country, and she embraced the customs of rural life—rising before the sun, churning butter, and canning vegetables.

Though raised a Roman Catholic, Joyce started attending her husband’s family church, Round Oak Baptist. She eventually was baptized by the pastor and became a full member.

Joyce was a hard worker with strong faith and a heart for service, and she held numerous leadership roles at the church, including Sunday school superintendent and Property Team chair. For many years, she led the church’s Relay for Life team. One of her passions was organizing monthly gospel sings to benefit local charitable causes.

For more than 20 years, Joyce enjoyed serving customers at the Corbin Post Office.

She is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, Betty and Robert Snider of Fredericksburg; a son and daughter-in-law, Mitch and Nedra Hayden of Woodford; five grandsons, Kyle and Brandon Snider and Michael, Dakota (“Cody”) and Luke Hayden; extended family; and close friends.

The family will receive friends at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 21, at Round Oak, 15025 Pepmeier Hill Road, Woodford, with the funeral to follow at 11 a.m. Deacon Johnny Sale is officiating. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

The pallbearers are her nephew, Thomas G. Hayden; cousins, Carey Sullivan and Kevin Sullivan; Neal Akers, Eugene Mooney, and Danny Ogle.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be made to one of Joyce’s favorite charities, the Ronald McDonald House, 2330 Monument Avenue, Richmond, Va. 23220 or rmhc-richmond.org/donate.

Storke Funeral Home, Bowling Green, is handling the arrangements.