Joyce Gelpi Barkerding

1926 - 2023

Joyce Gelpi Barkerding, 97, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, in Metairie, Louisiana. The daughter of the late Lucille Granger Gelpi and Marcel Gaston Gelpi, Joyce was born in New Orleans on February 15, 1926. She was married for forty-five years to the late Theodore Francis Barkerding. She was preceded in death by her daughter, Catherine Barkerding Brewster, her sister, Thelma Gelpi Diaz, and her brother, Marcel Gaston Gelpi, Jr. Joyce is survived by her children, Theodore Francis Barkerding, Jr. (Mary), Joyce "Bootsie" Barkerding Smith (Ric), and Harry Gelpi Barkerding (Mary Ann), and by numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. Although a native of New Orleans, Joyce was a resident of Old Metairie for most of her life. She was a long-time parishioner of St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, and a leader in several charitable organizations including the Easter Seal Society of the U.S., Tuberculosis Association of New Orleans, and the American Cancer Society. Joyce delighted in her family and relished decades of laughter with wonderful friends at the Orleans Club and the Southern Yacht Club. Bridge and golf were her sports of choice. A properly prepared martini each evening was a likely factor in her longevity. Joyce's family is especially appreciative of the caring people of Chateau de Notre Dame and Peristyle Residences (Old Metairie Gardens) for their vital assistance and kindness. Relatives and friends are invited to attend a visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m., Friday, September 22, 2023, at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. in New Orleans, Louisiana, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m., and interment at Metairie Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 444 Metairie Road, Metairie, Louisiana 70005, or a preferred charity. To view and sign the online guest book, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com.