Joyce Femia Nelson

1946 - 2021

Joyce Femia Nelson
April 19, 1946 - October 12, 2021
Raleigh, North Carolina - Joyce Femia Nelson, 75, died at home in Raleigh, NC on October 12, 2021. She was a graduate of Morehead High School in Morehead City, NC. She went on to earn a Bachelor's in English Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master's in education from East Carolina University in Greenville, NC.
??She began her long life of leadership and service at the state president of the FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) while still in high school. After earning her degree from UNC-CH, she began her teaching career in Morehead City, NC. She taught high school English for 44 years, 37 of which were spent at Enloe High School in Raleigh. During her tenure, she taught in a prison high school equivalency program called Redirection; helped implement AP and IB programs at multiple schools; shaped the English department as department head; mentored many other teaching professionals at her school and others; and shaped thousands of students' lives through her teaching. She always worked to be better at her profession, both by learning on her own and by continuing education. For more than a decade, she graded AP exams nationally and used that experience to help her own students perform better on the AP exam.??
While Joyce's passion was teaching, she was a multitalented person and professional. While living in the Philippines, Joyce was the host of her two television shows called Nepa Notes and A Woman's Corner. Nepa Notes detailed events on Subic Bay's base and the Subic Naval Complex. A Woman's Corner was an interview show where she interviewed community members about a variety of topics. She did this will simultaneously teaching at the Brig (military base correctional facility) on Subic Bay.
??In her last year of teaching, Joyce taught remotely while fighting stage four colorectal cancer. She was engaged with her students in a completely new way of learning, and she adjusted like a champ while fighting this difficult battle with cancer. Joyce always gave her students her absolute best, and the last year was no exception. She retired from her 44-year career on September 1, 2021.??
In October of 2021, she was honored with the Order of the Long Leaf Pine. This prestigious award, which is North Carolina's highest honor, is awarded to those who have made significant contributions to the state and their communities through their exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments. In her four + decades of teaching, Joyce made a significant impact on the state of North Carolina, and her work in the classroom left NC stronger and with a more educated workforce.??In her free time, Joyce enjoyed spending time with friends and family, including her beloved grandchildren Lauren and Ryan. She traveled extensively throughout the US and overseas, including trips to Maine, Hawaii, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, China, and much of Europe. She took golf and riding lessons and enjoyed both, and she was a voracious reader and a talented artist. She loved a good meal and a strong coffee, and a meal out with friends and fellow educators was the pinnacle of her week. She adored fresh cut flowers, and the flowers generously given by her wonderful friends brightened the last weeks of her life significantly. The beach was her happiest place, and she could nosh like a champ on a delicious Carteret County shrimpburger.??
She is survived by her husband, Daniel Nelson to whom she was married for 53 years and was with for 61. She is also survived by daughters Angela Nelson Kalo and Elizabeth Nelson (Jackson S. Jones), sons David Nelson and Christopher Nelson, and grandchildren Lauren and Ryan Kalo. She is also survived by siblings Ann Femia DelTatto (Gene), John Femia (Beverly), Dee Jaye Femia (Charles), and Mike Femia (Debby), great aunt Dolores Schmidt, and many beloved nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dominic and Geraldine Femia.??
A memorial service to honor and remember Joyce will held on Saturday, October 15, 2022 at 1:00 pm at Renaissance Funeral Home, located at 7615 Six Forks Road, Raleigh, NC. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Raleigh Fine Arts Society, where Joyce's students consistently won top honors in the Literary Contest category. Condolences and life tributes may be sent to the family via https://rfhr.com/obituaries/joyce-femia-nelson/