Joyce Nell Murphy

Joyce Nell Murphy Age 73 , passed away Friday, June 24, 2016.

Joyce Nell Murphy was born on October 25, 1942, to parents William Logan and Myrtle Murphy in Marked Tree, Arkansas.  She was one of the youngest of fourteen children.  The family moved several times while cotton and tobacco farming in Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Kentucky.  Joyce grew up closest to her sisters, Ann and Charity, and her twin brother, Boyce.  She attended Taylor County High School in Campbellsville, Kentucky, and was crowned ‘Miss Taylor County’ during her Senior year.  She graduated in 1961 with recognition from the National Beta Club for “outstanding achievement and promise”.   After graduation, Joyce moved to Chicago, Illinois with her brother Bill and his wife, Verna.

In 1963, Joyce moved to Boulder, Colorado, where she met and married Joseph Rodwick III.  Together, they had three children, Jacque, Kelly, and Peggy.  As an Army family, they lived in Fort Rucker, Alabama and Fort Wolters, Texas.  In 1969, they moved to the Albuquerque area where Joyce would reside for the rest of her life.  In 1982, she met Howard Barnes while working at Rust Tractor, and they were married for eighteen years.  She welcomed seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren into this world before her death.

Professionally, Joyce spent many years working as a secretary for companies such as Arnold Brothers Ford, Motorola, Xerox, Rust Tractor, chiropractic offices in the Edgewood area,  and Monterey and Alameda Baptist Churches.

Joyce was known for her love of quilting and hand crafts.  She made many quilts and afghans for family and friends, while also participating and leading various quilting groups.  Joyce loved flowers, which was made obvious by the rainbow of roses decorating her yard.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, twelve siblings, and son-in-law.
She is survived by her three adult children, their families, and her sister, Ann.