Joyce A. McCrory

Our delicate flower with thorns of endurance, Joyce Ann McCrory (nee Battle), was the only precious child born to her proud parents, Johnnie and Evangeline Battle, on Sunday, October 11, 1936. Joyce departed this earthly life peacefully and entered the eternal presence of the heavenly kingdom on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at 12:17 a.m. She was surrounded by love with her family after a lengthy illness. The day Sunday is named for the Sun, also known as God’s Day – the divine source of life, symbolizing vigor, independence, and strength. Joyce Ann McCrory entered this world on a Sunday and left this world on a Sunday. She was born in Edgecombe County, Rocky Mount, NC, later moving to Norfolk, VA, with her parents before relocating to their permanent home in Baltimore, MD, during the late 1940s. As an only child, her parents spoiled her with boundless love and protection. In her youth, Joyce loved having a pet, as well as playing with toys for girls and boys that her parents bought her. As a girl, she also had a pet duck named Donald. For many years as a young woman, she had a chow-chow dog affectionately named Champ. Joyce’s education began at a private elementary school in Norfolk, VA. She later returned to her birthplace in Rocky Mount to attend the O. R. Pope Grammar School, where she was featured in the local newspapers for being one of the top basketball players on the school team. For the rest of her life, each time she visited Rocky Mount, she would ask about her old coach, Mr. Batts. As a high-schooler, Joyce attended Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, a Baltimore City Public School, where she was a member of the poetry club. In 1978, while seeking better opportunities for her family and to care for her maternal aunt, Joyce, along with her two younger children, Antoinette and Andre, moved to Los Angeles, CA. Eventually, she returned to “Charm City”, where she called home. As a young woman, Joyce had various jobs before she acquired vested tenure as a Machinist Operator for Mold Craft Plastics, Inc., where she was eventually promoted to night-shift supervisor for more than 20 years until she retired in 1991. In her spare time, Joyce was also an Avon representative from 1975-1985. Joyce became a proud homeowner with her home paid off early. Well into her seventies, she enjoyed gardening, landscaping, and cleaning her beautifully maintained home. She lived on her own until the age of 87, as she insisted on maintaining enough independence to cook and do laundry until the age of 88. She never complained, as she simply took it all in stride with her memorable angelic smile and strength. Joyce Ann McCrory was the oldest living relative on the maternal side of her family. Her wittiness, mental acuity, and overall unwavering disposition were intact until her last breath. She was of sound mind with a heart full of love, as she gracefully and courageously embraced her last moments in her fleshly vessel on this Earth. Leisurely, Joyce loved family events, bus trips, and watching movies, particularly old westerns and Lifetime movies. Some of her favorites included Bat Masterson, Gunsmoke, Tales of Wells Fargo, The Lone Ranger and all John Wayne movies. She also enjoyed dancing and singing. One of her favorite songs, Ain’t No Stopping Us Now, by McFadden & Whitehead - a song of pride and joy, also a theme song for her life. When she was a child, she loved dancing so much, she would hand-dance with doorknobs. As a teenager, she also loved attending cabarets with her mother. Throughout her life, Joyce was an avid walker; she enjoyed walking across town and back without hesitation. If you knew her, you knew her well; Joyce was a “hip granny”, as she was abreast of various entertainers young-to-old. Her favorite entertainers were Charlie Wison and 50 Cent. In 2022, at the age of 85, Joyce along with her daughters, Iredell, Ingrid, and Antoinette attended the Charlie Wilson concert in Washington, DC. On Mother’s Day 2023, she attended a Mother’s Day brunch at the Pimlico Racetrack, as she also enjoyed horseracing… cherished memories with her daughters. Each summer, she enjoyed traveling with her daughters to various states for annual family reunions. Her first trip abroad was to Nassau Bahamas with her mother’s travel club called “The Royal Ladies Savings Club”. Over the years, she traveled with her daughter Ingrid to Las Vegas, Niagara Falls, New Orleans, and a cruise to Hamilton, Bermuda. Overall, Joyce raised her girls to be tight knit, always representing a united front. Although she had a tough exterior, her presence was demure with a light-hearted attitude and the most beautiful smile of pearly whites. She was never afraid to defend herself and her family. As her grandchildren called her an “OG”, she was no nonsense and shared stories when she used her guns for protection. She owned a .38 Smith & Wesson Special and a shotgun. Joyce was a great cook, always looking forward to the holidays. She was known for her legendary holiday rum cakes and sweet potato pies. Her family favorite dishes are tuna casserole, salmon cakes, spaghetti with her homemade meatballs, and potato salad. On special occasions, she made peach pastries from scratch called, “Peach Jack”, “ an old recipe from Rocky Mount, NC. At an early age, Joyce accepted the Lord & Savior, Jesus Christ, at two church homes: St. James Missionary Baptist Church, under the leadership of Rev. Locket Mason and East End Missionary Baptist Church, under the leadership of Rev. Thomas Thompson, both of Rocky Mount. On December 5, 1999, she joined her family church, Bibleway Missionary Baptist Church, under the leadership of Rev. Nathaniel Womack Sr. Joyce, along with her best-friend, Mrs. Nannie Ellen Knight, both joined church together as faithful members. She enjoyed attending church and day driving around town after Sunday service. As a young lady, Joyce met the love of her life, Charlie McCrory, at the Bridge Theatre located in West Baltimore. They later married, and from that union came six children: Iredell, Jonathan, (twin daughters) Ingrid and Inger McCrory, Andre, and Antoinette. Ingrid’s twin sister, Inger, passed during birth. Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, Charlie McCrory; her parents, Johnnie and Evangeline Battle; two sons, Jonathan McCrory Sr. and Andre L. McCrory; along with two grandsons, Jonathan McCrory Jr. and Kevon D. Murchison; one great-grandson, Jonathan McCrory III; and one son-in-law, Roddie Wood III. Joyce leaves to cherish her memory, three loving and devoted daughters, Mrs. Iredell V. Wood, Mrs. Ingrid C. Lewis and Ms. Antoinette Y. McCrory of Baltimore, MD. Joyce’s posterity consists of twelve grandchildren, in order of their birth respectfully: Tarsha Taylor-Harris, Jonathan McCrory Jr., Gemetria Williams-Souza, Kim-Quetta McCrory-Speaks, Juan McCrory, Kevon Murchison, Charise Evangeline Linear, Micheal Myers Jr., Anton Myers, Brandon McCrory-Sanders, Reginald Lewis Jr., and Kai Hall. She also has one bonus granddaughter: Teela Sutton, twenty great-grandchildren, two bonus great-grandchildren, ten great-great grandchildren, one son-in-law, Reginald Lewis Sr; and three sisters-in-law, Mrs. Lucy McCrory of El Paso, TX, Mrs. Mary McCrory, and Mrs. Cynthia McCrory both of Baltimore, MD; along with a host of family and friends.

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Joyce A. McCrory

October 11, 1936 - December 21, 2025