Joyce Wilson of Georgetown passed away August 28, 2023. Joyce was born in Arkansas on November 3, 1931. She was one of 6 children. Her father was a sharecropper. When she was 16, she married her first husband. Joyce always joked that she married late in life because 2 of her sisters married at age 14.
Her first husband, Floyd, worked in the oil fields, so they moved to Louisiana and later to West Texas. They relocated to the Dallas area and then divorced. Joyce married Howard Wilson in 1975 after her four children were grown.
Joyce wanted to work and decided to sell insurance. New agents started with a draw against future commissions. Since she was female with a husband who made good money, they tried to start her with a lower draw. This did not sit well with Joyce and the General Manager ended up paying her the same as the men.
Later when the General Manager opened his own agency he took Joyce with him. For many years she was the only female agent. Joyce was always a top producer who made the Million Dollar Round Table each year and earned all-paid trips that included spouses.
Howard recalls activities planned for the spouses. “I would sit in a room filled with women, and the speaker would say “Ladies, and Howard…” I didn’t mind, they were all nice people. I would sometimes win a prize. I once won a facial, which I tried to trade with the lady sitting next to me for the bottle of bourbon she won, but no luck!”
Joyce was always quick-witted. For a couple of years Howard served as a Criminal Court Magistrate in Dallas. During this time, a woman ran a stop sign and drove into the side of Joyce’s car. The woman said, “I’m sure everything will be taken care of. You see, my husband is a lawyer.” Joyce replied, “Oh, I’m sure everything will be taken care of, because you see, my husband is a judge.”
Joyce was always very active and tennis was one of her loves. In the Dallas area she played on a team that competed all over the area and once went to State. After moving to Sun City she continued to play until she damaged her shoulder trying for an overhead shot.
Howard has a degree in accounting, as well as law but Joyce was the family financial manager. Howard quips about Joyce discovering he was buying a knock off brand rather than his favorite Listerine and encouraging him, “For heaven’s sake, buy what you like. We can afford it.” Howard jokes, “So I bought myself a new car and she said that wasn’t exactly what she had in mind.”
Joyce and Howard were original residents of their Sun City neighborhood and started many of the traditions and game groups.
Joyce will be remembered as a loving wife, mother, sister and friend. She is survived by husband Howard Wilson, brother Leon Collum, Texas, and sister Wanda Nelson, Louisiana. Children include sons Roger Buffington and Mark Buffington and daughters Linda Buiffington and Deborah Simpson, all in Texas. Stepsons are Joseph Wilson, Ohio and Douglas Wilson, Texas. She is also the grandmother to many grandchildren and great grandchildren.