- Date Of Birth: January 18, 1954
- Date Of Death: October 21, 2021
- State: Ohio
Joy R. Powell Lattimore, daughter of the late Albert Powell, Sr. and the late Zudora Powell was born on January 18, 1954 in Goldsboro, North Carolina. She peacefully transitioned from this life on October 21, 2021, following a courageous encounter with cancer. Joy accepted Christ as a teenager and joined Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, Goldsboro, NC. After marrying. Vergel L. Lattimore, III on December 16, 1978, she joined the African Methodist Episcopal Zion (A.M.E. Zion) Church. In 2010, Joy felt drawn to the Seventh Day Adventist, the denomination of her maternal grandmother and became a member of the Worthington Seventh Day Adventist Church, where she had been an active Children’s Academy Board Member and as the Head Deaconess. On May 25, 2013, Joy was Ordained as an Elder in the Worthington Seventh Day Adventist Church
Joy is a 1972 graduate of Goldsboro High School and a 1976 Magna Cum Laude graduate of Barber-Scotia College, with a B.S. in Early Childhood Education. In 1977, she graduated from The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH with a M.A. (honors) in Early and Middle Childhood Education.
After finishing her graduate studies in Ohio, she served for two years as Director of Alumni Affairs at Barber-Scotia College, Concord, NC. She later taught for two years in sixth grade language arts for the Concord City Schools. In June 1980, she joined Vergel who was pursuing doctoral studies at Garrett-Evangelical Seminary/Northwestern University, Evanston, IL. In Evanston, Joy served as Assistant Director of Admissions at Kendall College for several years. After moving to Syracuse, NY, Joy was a stay-at-home mother before later working with children at the Paul Lawrence Dunbar Community Center and teaching in the Syracuse City Schools.
After moving to Westerville, OH, Joy started Busy Bee Infant Care. She later taught in the Columbus City School before teaching in the Columbus Diocese at Saint Thomas the Apostle and later at All Saints Academy, where she retired in August 2020.
Joy is known by others for her quiet personality, gentle manner, and inquisitive, brilliant mind. She loved to read and she cared deeply about others, as her involvements reflect intellectual passion, social commitment, spiritual care, and growth in relationships. Over the years, she has been involved in the Young Adult Missionary Society (Y.A.M.S) of the A.M.E. Zion Church, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. (Lifetime Member, Affiliate Chapter – Gamma Zeta Zeta), American Association of University Women (Lifetime Member, Westerville Chapter), Jack and Jill of America, Inc., Book Club Friends, Birthday Club Friends, Freedom Colony Neighborhood Association, and Building Responsibility, Equality and Dignity (B.R.E.A.D.).
Joy leaves to cherish her memory her devoted husband Vergel, her three children Vergel Alston of Westerville, OH, Adam Victor of Salisbury, NC and Alia Joy of Clintonville, OH. She also leaves one sister: Dr. Linda Addo of Greensboro, NC, one aunt: Ethel Mae Baldwin of Goldsboro, NC, father-in-law: Verge Lattimore (Laura) of Charlotte, four sisters-in-law: Barbara L. Davis of Charlotte, NC. Margaret L. Nixon of Charlotte, and Lisa Lattimore of Charlotte, NC, Barbara Coley Jones of Ovilla, TX and Queen Elizabeth Hunt Powell of Hyattsville, MD; Four brothers preceded her in death: Tyrone, Dennis, Albert, Jr. and Levon. She also leaves a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and many other relatives and friends, with four special nieces that merit designation as “caring daughters”: Montrose Robinson (Anthony) of Brandywine, MD, Torea Chancellor (Eric) of Accokeek, MD, Coney Elam (Michael) of Fort Washington, MD, and Anjenette Powell of Waldorf, MD.
