Joy Wallace Robison

Joy Wallace Robison, age 91, passed away Monday, October 21, 2024 at the Jordan River Health Campus in Collierville, Tennessee. 

A funeral service for Joy will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, October 25, 2024 at the Batesville Presbyterian Church with the interment to follow at Magnolia Cemetery in Batesville, Mississippi.

Joy was born on June 14, 1933 to the late William Clayton Wallace and Cora Louise Burford Wallace in Independence, Mississippi. She attended the Mississippi University for women and experiences the enriches of being a member of the Phi Mu Sorority. During this time, she attended school there to be close to the love of her life, Jim, who attended Mississippi State.

She completed her degree at the University of Mississippi with a bachelor’s degree in education, in which this foundation prepared her for a fulfilling career, reflecting her values of hard work and determination.

Joy devoted her professional life to education, serving as a special education teacher at both Southaven High School and South Panola High School, where she eventually retired. Her commitment to her students was evident in her nurturing approach and the profound care she demonstrated throughout her teaching career.

Joy was a faithful member of the Batesville Presbyterian Church for many years where she enjoyed being active in the Women’s club.

An avid lover of life, Joy found happiness in the simple pleasures – whether it was enjoying a game of cards or bridge, dancing in her youthful days, or relaxing on her patio. Each moment spent in laughter and love added to the beautiful tapestry of her life. Above all, Joy embraced the role of a proud "Da Da," pouring love and support into her precious grandchildren and great-grandchildren, who were her greatest pride and joy.

Joy continued an old family tradition of traveling with her grandchildren across the United States for summer vacations as she did with her own children. They enjoyed traveling to places such as Colorado, the Smokey Mountains, California, and Florida beaches.

The family Joy leaves behind to cherish her sweet memory include her three children, James Burford Robison, Jr. “Rob” of Batesville, MS, Janet “Jan” Robison Abbey of Germantown, TN, and Alison Heafner Nix of Batesville, MS; four grandchildren, Chadrick “Chad” Keith Heafner of Oxford, MS, Andrew James Abbey of Germantown, TN, Taylor Alison Abbey of Memphis, TN, and April Abbey Garrett of Birmingham, AL; five great grandchildren, Haley Joy Heafner, Jack Henry Heafner, Ava Lane Garrett, Emily Grace Garrett, and Benjamin James Garrett.

Along with her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband, James “Jim” Burford Robison; one sister, Bonnie Eilleen Wallace Peyton; and two brothers, Joseph Hugh Wallace and Clayton Burford Wallace.