of Memphis, TN
April 4, 1921 - December 8, 2022
Joyce Mae Cox Westlake, age 101, is now in her heavenly home with her pre-deceased parents, Guy Melvin Cox and Doshia Davis Cox, siblings and their spouses, Mary Love Cox Kasselberg (Dr. Lyman), Roy Melvin Cox (Frances), Victor Davis Cox (Jackie) and James Lewis Cox (Hope). Also, pre-deceasing Mrs. Westlake, niece, Sherry Lynn Cox Payne; nephew, Victor Davis Cox, Jr.; step-son, Wesley Pruden, Jr.; step-daughter, Jeanie Ann Pruden Settle (Bobby) and step-grandson, Tony Prather.
Mrs. Westlake was born April 4, 1921 in Williford, AR and attended Arkansas State Teachers College in Conway, Arkansas before her marriage to Dr. Malcolm Guy Taylor, who passed away in 1970. Joyce and Malcolm Taylor had two children, Dr. Daniel Guy Taylor (Judi) of Memphis, TN and Mary Janet Florian of Oriental, NC; two grandchildren, Erin C. Taylor Hardin (Josh), Birmingham, AL and Grant Taylor Florian (Sara), Rio Branco, Brazil and two great-grandchildren, Fiona C. Hardin and Ambrose Malcolm Hardin.
After the loss of Dr. Taylor, Joyce married Rev. Wesley Pruden, deceased, John W. Prather, deceased and Robert D. Westlake, deceased. Surviving Mrs. Westlake are devoted and much-loved step-children, Joan Pruden Guthridge and John Wade Prather and his wife, Jane. Surviving step-grandchildren are James and Jeff Guthridge (Trena).
Mrs. Westlake was a long time Little Rock resident and retired from the Arkansas Dept. of Education. After retirement, she volunteered many hours at Baptist Hospital, Little Rock and contributed to many national and international charities. She was an active and involved member of Markham Street Baptist Church. Her many hours of volunteer services won her awards from the Hermitage Chapter of the DAR Memphis, TN and Baptist Hospital, Little Rock, AR, among other accolades.
Mrs. Westlake also enjoyed bowling until her 99th year of life with the Tuesday Four Ladies Bowling League, often as the week's highest scoring bowler. She was also in a Silver Sneakers exercise class until the Covid pandemic.
With her gentle spirit and generous personality, she will long be remembered as someone who loved the Lord, music, current events, her family and friends. Many years of her life she lived independently, managing her gardening, housework, driving and activities. All fourteen of her nieces and nephews attended her 100th birthday party with many of their children and families.
Mrs. Westlake lived her last year and a half in Memphis TN at the assisted living facility, The Village at Primacy Place and enjoyed many visits from her local family members including a dog named Riff.
Memorials can be made in Mrs. Westlake's name to Arkansas Children's Hospital, 1 Children's Way, Slot 661, Little Rock, Arkansas 72202 or the charity of your choice.
Visitation will be held from 11am-1pm Wednesday, December 14, 2022 in the Chapel of Roller Chenal Funeral Home, a funeral service will follow at 1 pm. Burial will be at Rest Hills Memorial Park in North Little Rock.
Sign Guestbook
10 Condolence(s)
Lawrence Guthridge
Wednesday, December 14, 2022
ðŸ™ðŸ™ for the Danny Taylor family in memory of Joyce Westlake
Jean F. Kohler
Tuesday, December 13, 2022
Sweet Joyce was in my Silver Sneakers exercise class when she was in her upper 90's and 100. There was a mirror across the front of the room. Because of her age, she was in the front row so our exercise leader could keep an eye on her. Whenever I looked at her in the mirror, she had this constant smile on her face that made me smile. What a joy she was! We missed her when she moved to Memphis.
Claudette Cirks
Monday, December 12, 2022
Joyce was our next door neighbor for 35 years. What a dear, sweet, and generous lady she was! So sharp, witty, and amazingly independent for nearly 100 years. We were so pleased to travel to Memphis last year and celebrate her 100th birthday with the family. She was here to visit just last month, and I am so thankful we got to see her then. She will be missed.
Roanne H Motley
Monday, December 12, 2022
Cousin Joyce (her mother Doshia and my grandmother Bitha were sisters) was such a lovely and kind woman. I last spoke to her sometime after Momma died.
I have fond memories of visiting with her, meeting Danny and Bitsy, and many Davis family members at the old church and graveyard outside Ripley, Mississippi many, many years ago.
Susan L Bratton
Monday, December 12, 2022
Joyce was well loved by everyone. She was a kind generous soul and out entire family loved Joyce.
Kitty Cox
Monday, December 12, 2022
Aunt Joyce was a delight to know! She was smart and could converse on any subject.
At family events she would enthrall all of us with her telling family stories. She was funny and could make her nephew, Victor, Jr. laugh so hard that tears would come.
When her nephew Victor Cox, Jr. would call her or she call him, they would talk for an hour or longer about past family events, Osceola, Ark., and just reminisce.
I got to know her better at the NSDAR meetings, as we belonged to the same chapter, as did her nieces.
We all will miss her; her conversations, her funny stories and just visiting with her.
Sympathy to all of the family, son Dan and wife Judi and their family, and Mary Janet and her family.
With heartfelt sadness and compassion...
Kitty Cox, widow of Number 1 Nephew, Victor, Jr.
(Number 1 Nephew was Aunt Joyce's nickname for Victor, Jr.)
Evelyn A “Luv†Givens
Monday, December 12, 2022
I’m known as “Luv†at the bowling alley and I met Mrs. Joyce when I moved here from PA on the Tuesday 4 Bowling League in Maumelle, AR. I was introduced to her/her beautiful smile/told how old she was, which I did not believe ‘cause she was so young looking/moved very well.
Mrs. Joyce talked about her gardening/volunteering she did at the hospital/never seemed exhausted. When she fell at home/got pretty bruised up, she still came to alley to bowl/SHE DID irregardless of the bruises she had sustained.
EVERYONE AND I MEAN EVERYONE loved Mrs. Joyce/we all would get close around her because we wanted to hug her/let her know she was loved. ðŸ‘ðŸ¾ðŸ˜. We missed her when she was taken to Memphis but we all knew she would be taken care of/loved like she was here.
She surprised us when a family member brought her up to see us at Millennium . We huddled around her like children 🧒 👧🽠at Christmas, very happy to see her/she was glad/happy to see us.
Mrs. Joyce, we love and (loved) you/you are going to be eternally missed. GOD’s speed lovely Angel 😇.ðŸ™ðŸ¾ðŸ¤ŽðŸ’œâ¤ï¸ðŸŽ³. “Luv.â€
Dora Ann Bratton
Saturday, December 10, 2022
Joyce was my dear, dear friend, a wonderful co-worker, and a special person in my life as well as my family. I’ve missed her so much since we both moved from Little Rock, and I will always remember her, my condolences to all her wonderful family.
Mary Poag
Saturday, December 10, 2022
That is a lovely obituary for a lovely, witty woman! I am so lucky to have known her over these past 30 years.
Mandy Limbird
Friday, December 9, 2022
Joyce lived next door to us for nearly 40 years. She was a surrogate grandmother to our children attending school plays and birthday parties. She loved working in her flower beds and often didn’t start until the sun was going down. I called me the nocturnal gardener. We loved her and miss her.