Joyce Fernandez, 65, passed away peacefully in her sleep on July 10, 2015, in Santa Maria, Calif.
Joyce was born April 26, 1950, in her hometown of Lumberton, N.C. She eventually moved to Santa Maria and attended and graduated from Santa Maria High School in 1968.
Shortly after she married her husband, Vincent Fernandez, in 1970 they welcomed their daughter Tracy. Joyce also had others she grew close to who she also considered her own daughters.
In 1998, she welcomed her grandson, Llijah Quintanilla.
She spent her time working at the freezers where she met many lifelong friends, as well as working for companies such as Simplot, Country Oaks Visiting Nurses and Best Care. In later years, she worked for Marian Dignity Health as a CNA and caring for Betty and Owen Rice.
She spent a lot of time making Sunday dinners and looking forward to Halloween because of the white pumpkins Mr. Rice would grow for her. She enjoyed the time spent with them until their passing.
Throughout her life, Joyce was always one to lend a hand and help those in need and always enjoyed putting a smile on others’ faces. People raved about how caring and compassionate she was to others while working at Marian.
Joyce’s hobbies included collecting stuffed animals for the patients she worked with, baking, drinking coffee, listening to Elvis, having manicured nails, bright makeup and keeping an eye on the Jewelry Channel for her collection along with watching the Sci-Fi channel.
She is proceeded in death by husband Vincent Fernandez, son Robert Lee Fernandez, mother Lula Cane, sister Eula May Noriega and brother William Turner.
She is survived by her daughters, Tracy Quintanilla, Jessica Orozco, Karis Camicha, Angel Cowell-Herrera and Lupe Aguilar; her grandchildren, Llijah Quintanilla, Zayna Etheridge, Mia Etheridge, Robyn Williams and Ryan Gutierrez; and many loved ones.
A service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 21 at the Chapel of Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary, 1003 E. Stowell Road in Santa Maria.