Joyce McQuay-Mills
Doreen Joyce McQuay-Mills, age 86, passed away Sunday, April 16, 2017, at her son’s home in Cape Girardeau, MO. She was born July 15, 1930 in St. Louis, MO, the daughter of Willie Mathews and Justine (Grivet) Mathews. Joyce loved to visit the Piedmont area during the early 1950s and bought a home here in 1963 for weekends and finally moved permanently in 1975.
A former member of the Bridgeton Chapter #266 Order of the Eastern Star, she was past matron of the Piedmont Chapter #347 and received her 50 year pin in 2013. Joyce managed McQuay Appliance Sales and Service and was very active in area organizations. She was a member of the Wayne County Saddle Club, Secretary of Bluff View Fire Department and their Cookies for Santa. She was a Ham Operator and made wedding cakes and novelty cakes. She made the Piedmont Bi-Centennial cake in 1976. She was a long time member of the Piedmont United Methodist Church and later Trinity United Methodist Church. She was active in her Bible Study group.
Joyce was united in marriage to Sammie N. McQuay April 17, 1948, and he passed away April 16, 1983. She then was united in marriage to Jimmie Lee Mills Oct. 29, 1988, and he survives her.
Preceding her in death are her parents, Willie and Justine Mathews-Gregory, her step father, Benjamin Gregory, three step brothers, Loren, Byron and Quinton Gregory as well as one step sister, Nadine Fitzgerald.
Survivors include her children, Joe McQuay, Jill McQuay, Scott McQuay and his wife, Nita, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., and Dan McQuay and his wife, Amy, of Saratoga Springs, N.Y.; her stepson, Kenny Mills and his wife, Barb, of Poplar Bluff, Mo.; and her sister, Nancy Albert and her husband Bill, of St. Peters, Mo.
Also surviving are 10 grandchildren, Erica, Christopher, Ryan, Sean, Aaron, Zach, Corey, Joshua, Abigail and Billy; eight great grandchildren; and her golden retriever, Jazz. She will also be missed and survived by nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews, cousins and a host of friends.
Joyce was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, aunt and great aunt. Her family from coast to coast, east to west and in between – New York, Maryland, Virginia, Texas, Indiana, Oregon, Colorado, Arkansas, Illinois and Missouri were here to celebrate her life. She will be very deeply missed by all those who knew and loved her.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, April 22, 2017, at the Morrison-Worley Chapel in Piedmont with Rev. Tadd Kruithoff officiating. Special recorded songs were played for the service and Vicky Faron and Scott McQuay gave tributes. Cremation followed the service. Memorials have been requested to the Trinity United Methodist Church or the Humane Society. Services were under the direction of Morrison-Worley Funeral Chapel.
