Joyce Virginia Watts Mellor

Joyce Virginia (Watts) Mellor, 95 ½, of Carmel and Indianapolis, flew to heaven on January 15, 2020. Born May 11, 1924 in Lincoln, NE, to the late Louis Albert and Clara Watts, Joyce graduated in 1942 from Central High School, Omaha, NE. She graduated from Baptist Missionary Training School in Chicago in 1948 after which her beautiful contralto singing voice took her to Westminster Choir College where she met and fell in love with James N. Mellor. They married in 1951 and moved to Dallas, TX, then on to Norfolk, VA, El Dorado, AR, Cleveland, OH, Bloomington, IN, finally settling in Indianapolis in 1967. Jim and Joyce were blessed and very busy with four children along the way. An early childhood education specialist, she began Co-op nursery schools throughout Indiana also teaching and co-directing the pre-school programs at First Baptist and Castleton United Methodist Churches from 1967-1977. She then became a realtor for Century 21 Gold Key, retiring in 1995. Joyce was one of the most positive, loving and funny people you’d ever know. No one left her home unhugged, unfed or feeling down. She loved all people, entertaining, playing cards, traveling to see family, Elderhostel trips, attending the symphony and live theater, spoiling her grandchildren and making us all laugh. She was a docent for the Indianapolis Children’s Museum for 18 years, a volunteer tutor at IPS Schools, and served in her church, St. Albans Episcopal Church in multiple capacities, especially loving singing in the choir, (directed by her husband, Jim). Due to the outbreak of the Coronavirus, the family will be rescheduling the Memorial Service for Joyce at this time. An announcement will be made as soon as a date is determined. Joyce is survived and sorely missed by her children, Mindy Gronauer, James N. Mellor Jr. (Lauri), Lisa Nevola (Stan) and Meridith Anderson (Kevin); 10 grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren. Joyce’s husband, James N. Mellor; and a sister, Kay Houdersheldt, preceded her in death. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Albans Episcopal Church Music Dept. Final care and arrangements are entrusted to Shirley Brothers Fishers-Castleton Chapel.

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Joyce Virginia Watts Mellor

May 11, 1924 - January 15, 2020