Pastor Mae Joyce Redfearn

Reverend Mae Joyce Redfearn, age 62, of Saginaw, Michigan, passed away peacefully on January 1, 2025, surrounded by family and listening to her favorite gospel playlist. Mae Joyce was born in Saginaw, Michigan to George and Grace (Alexander) Braddock Jr. on May 19, 1962. From birth her love and faithfulness in God was seeded and cultivated by her family. 

Mae Joyce was raised in St. Luke Christian Methodist Episcopal Church – the same church she would later Pastor until the Lord called her home. Her deep faith and divine calling were obvious to all who were fortunate enough to be in her orbit. Her musical talents stood as God’s reminder that she was called to do his work from the beginning. She was an incredible pianist, classically trained by Riley Dennett. She was also an immaculate singer whose vocal abilities could bring even the strongest personality to tears. Her profound intellect and talent were matched only by her abundance of strength – she carried more than her fair share and did so with no complaints.

Mae Joyce was a lifelong learner. She graduated from Saginaw High School in 1980 and would go on to study mathematics, earning her bachelor’s from Michigan State University and her master’s degree from Northwood University. She served as an educator across many schools in the Saginaw area prior to becoming an ordained minister. She pursued her pastoral education through the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. 

Mae Joyce began her pastoral journey as Assistant Minister of Dozier Memorial C.M.E. Church in Flint, Michigan. served as Head Pastor at Mask Memorial C.M.E. Church in Lansing, MI, and led her lifelong church home, St. Luke C.M.E. Church in Saginaw, Michigan as its Head Pastor. As a leading pastor on the Mid-Michigan district, she served as President of the Mid- Michigan Ministerial Alliance for several years.

Her professional career co-existed with her active pursuit of a cure for Sickle Cell Anemia, a disease she became deeply educated about in raising and caring for her oldest child, Tanjanika. Her advocacy around Sickle Cell was crucial, particularly as medical advancements often lagged for a disease that disparately impacts Black people in the US. She raised awareness and funds to support medical advancements in the treatment of Sickle Cell Anemia. She served as President of the Saginaw County Sickle Cell Support Group.

In all of her professional accomplishments, she would be the first to tell you her greatest achievement was her children. She loved her children endlessly and she was so proud of their personal, academic and professional successes. It was her love for her children that carried her beyond any predetermined medical expectation. Mae Joyce was often comforted by some of her favorite songs, Goodness of God by Cece Winans, I Know the Plans I Have for You by Martha Munizzi and Changed by Tremaine Hawkins. 

She loved watching Westerns and Home Improvement shows. She also put viewing to action watching home improvement shows. Often repairing things around the house after watching videos. She probably watched too many home improvement shows because her children would also note that she had a PhD from YouTube University because she thought she could fix everything herself.

Mae Joyce leaves to cherish her memory, her Beloved mother Grace Braddock. Her siblings, Norman Clay Braddock Sr., Brenda Faye Thomas, Georgette (Apostle Ron) Frierson, Ruby Ann Jones, all of Saginaw Michigan, and Elder Frederick Lee (Sheila) Braddock Sr., of Canton, Georgia; her loving children, Jonathan Redfearn, Tiffany Redfearn, Jaelin Redfearn, Chelsa (Yavontae) Braddock-Sanders, Isaiah Braddock, Kendrea Braddock, all of Saginaw MI, Kawanzaa Braddock, Detroit, Michigan, and Alexis Braddock, Montgomery, Alabama, Sarah Redfearn, Bowie, Maryland, and Dominique Mitchell, Washington DC; grandchildren, Cayden Redfearn, Lauryn Braddock, Bryson Cameron, Brayden Cameron, Josiah Braddock, Kaileb Sanders, Adrian Hawthorne Jr., and Sa’Miyah Sanders. Among her many nieces and nephews her memory will be especially cherished by Serina Jones, Candice Braddock, Kinesha Braddock-Mason, Teri Braddock, Kevin Jones, Norman Braddock, Jr., Marcel Thomas, and Eric Braddock. Additionally, she will be dearly missed by her aunts, Virginia Edgerton, Mary Dunn, Doris Knox, and Catherine Curtis; as well as by her uncle Freddrick Alexander, Sr.; special cousins, Cathy (James) Bradford, Linda (Jesse) Ford, Odessa Campbell, Tracy Golden, and Freddrick Alexander Jr.; sisters in love, Sheilda Braddock, Mildred Braddock “Dee Dee” , and Bridgette Braddock; and special friends, James Taylor, and Bernard Redfearn. 

Mae Joyce was preceded in death by her father George Braddock; daughter, Tanjanika N. Taylor; brothers, Terry Braddock, Charles E. Braddock, Stanley Braddock; and a beloved aunt Gracie Alexander. 

Mae Joyce memory is best summarized by passages from her favorite Bible verse, Psalm 27, “The Lord is my light and my salvation – whom shall, I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life –of whom shall I be afraid? Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear, though war break out against me, even then I will be confident. For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock. Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord. I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.” 

Mae Joyce was the embodiment of the goodness of the Lord here on earth. To all who knew her they would agree that in her God made an exception in allowing an Angel to live on earth. 

The family would like to express thanks to the Cameron Family, Robert Logan, Dr. Amanda Byler MD, Dr. John Bartnix MD, Shannon Ochoa NP, and Breannah Alexander-Oppenhuizen.