Joyce Proctor Beaman

Joyce Proctor Beaman April 27, 1931 – October 26, 2018 Joyce Proctor Beaman, 87 of Wilson, went to be with our Lord and Savior on October 26, 2018. She was born and raised on her family’s tobacco farm in rural Wilson County. She married her high school sweetheart, Bob, and they raised their family on Bob’s family’s small tobacco farm in Wilson County’s Saratoga community. For over forty years, Joyce served as a teacher and librarian in Greene, Nash, and Wilson counties. She served on numerous local and state education committees and boards throughout her career. Joyce was a published author, and a lifelong distinguished educator. She lived her life touting the merits and values of a good public education and educational system. In 1977, she was named Wilson County Teacher of the Year, followed in the same year with North Carolina’s highest honor in public education as the state recipient of the Terry Sanford Award for Creativity and Innovation in Education (now called North Carolina Teacher of the Year). Joyce was honored in 2007 as an inductee into the Educators Hall of Fame at her alma mater, East Carolina University, where she also earned her Master of Arts in 1952. She was also honored to be a career-long member of the Delta Kappa Gamma and Kappa Delta Pi, both International Honor Societies in Education. God and church were cornerstones throughout her life. She was a member of the Saratoga Free Will Baptist Church. Of all the gifts bestowed upon her, the ones she cherished most were being Bobby David’s mama and Ashley’s grandmama. Joyce was a loving mother, grandmother, and wife. Joyce is survived by her son, Robert “Bobby” David and his wife, Donna Marie Beaman of Wilson and a granddaughter, she adored, Ashley Marie Beaman of Wilson and one brother, Robert P. “Buddy” Proctor of Winston-Salem. She was preceded in death by her husband, Robert Hines (Bob) Beaman; her parents, Jesse and Pauline Proctor and her brothers, Dr. Dalton Proctor and David Proctor. The family will receive friends Monday evening from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at Joyner’s Funeral Home, 4100 Raleigh Road Parkway, Wilson. A graveside service for family and friends is planned for 11 a.m. Tuesday in Evergreen Memorial Park, 2800 Nash Street, Wilson. Flowers are welcome or please consider memorials in Joyce’s memory to the Mental Health Association of Wilson County, 509 Nash Street N, Wilson, North Carolina 27893 or Hospice of Wilson Medical Center, 2130 Forest Hills Road W, Suite A, Wilson, North Carolina 27893. Condolences may be directed to Joyner’s Funeral Home at www.joyners.net.