Joyce G. Ford

Our beloved Joyce Gillespie Ford was born on April 23, 1948 in Hamilton, Ohio and fully lived 76 amazing years. Joyce was the daughter of the late Issac Nathaniel Gillespie II (Butch) and Sylvia Lee Pitts Gillespie; a loyal wife of 44 years to Marion Ford; the devoted mother to Rozlyn Ford; loving grandmother to Jansen and Sylvia Ford; and the only sister to her brothers Skipper, Lawrence, Donald and Melvin Gillespie. Joyce was raised in a home that taught service and helping others. It’s not a surprise that her passion to help others blossomed at a young age— her life’s mission started with helping kids of the Big Brother/Big Sister organization.

Her working career began in sales and marketing; but volunteerism and serving others was always apart of her every life. Joyce volunteered for 42 years in the various communities she called home over her life, but she quickly realized that her calling was to help victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse. She was a compassionate, and experienced crisis advocate, volunteer trainer and counselor. Joyce never imagined a career in domestic and sexual abuse, but ultimately after relocating to Florence she worked as a sexual counselor and court advocate for six and a half years. During this time, she realized that many of those abused unfortunately returned to their abuser simply because they had no where else to go — hence, The Naomi Project was created and Joyce became the founder and CEO of her own non-profit. The project’s mission is to change the lives of women and children going through domestic violence after making the crucial choice not to return to their abuser.

Joyce’s legacy of service can’t be denied. The Naomi Project has been featured in Innerview, SHE and IMARA. In addition, she has been honored and recognized for her work at the local and state levels and awarded numerous grants to advance the mission of service. In 2007, one year after inception, Joyce was honored during the “International Women’s Day” celebration at the United Nations in New York City for her work with The Naomi Project.

Joyce loved her community. The Naomi Project and the Florence, SC community has lost a giant. She was a member of Savannah Grove Baptist Church; No One Unsheltered (NOU), a Mayor’s Coalition Homelessness Committee Project; Building Bridges- City of Florence; Black Nonprofit; Pee Dee Professional Women’s Business Network; Together SC; Kiwanis Club of Florence and served on the board of directors for the Florence Darlington Technical College Human Services program. Her endurance to serve was all apart of her undeniable sacrifice, compassion, generosity, selflessness, service, love and commitment for her community.

 As Joyce would say, “ being raised in a home that taught, If I Can Help Somebody Along The Way, Then My Living Is Not in Vain, what else would I be doing?”

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Issac and Sylvia Gillespie; her brothers, Issac (Skipper) Gillespie III, Donald Gillespie and Melvin Gillespie; and her niece,  Dr. Carmen Gillespie.

Joyce Gillespie Ford leaves to cherish her memory her husband, Marion Ford of Florence, SC; one daughter, Rozlyn Gillespie Ford of Florence, SC; two grandchildren, Jansen Ford and Sylvia Ford of Florence, SC; two brothers, Lawrence Gillespie (Gwen) of Fairfax, VA and surrogate brother, Thomas Knight of Marlton, New Jersey, along with nieces, nephews, cousins, surrogate children, a host of friends, colleagues and her beloved Naomi Project family.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Naomi Project at www.naomiproject.com in honor of Joyce G. Ford.

Please keep the family of Joyce Gillespie Ford in your thoughts and prayers