Joyce Abernathy (nee Bishop) was preceded in death by her husband James, parents William and Mildred Bishop, and sister Janet. She is survived by children Cindy Cash and Brett Abernathy, son-in-law Douglas, grandchildren Austin and Blair, several nieces and nephews, and many close friends in both St. Louis and San Antonio. Joyce was born in 1940 and raised in St. Louis, Missouri attending Roosevelt High School. Her childhood years included numerous trips and shorts stays with close family in Sesser, Illinois where both of her parents were born and raised. Summer vacations were spent on her grandparent’s farm in Sesser where she developed her deep love of nature and animals (except for spiders) that she passed on to her children through numerous nature walks, visits to parks, and camping trips while growing up. With her sister Janet, she danced and performed with the St. Louis Civic Ballet before leaving St. Louis for college. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Missouri – Columbia where she met her husband and subsequently married James in 1960. Returning to St. Louis after graduation, she took a job as a grade school teacher at Mark Twain Elementary School, attended the University of Missouri – St. Louis in the evenings working towards her Master’s degree in Education as a remedial reading specialist for all grades, which she obtained, and raised her two small children with her husband. In the 1980’s and 1990’s she took a break from teaching and worked as a licensed real estate agent for Gundaker Realty in their Oakville office, where she gained many close friends. Joyce and James moved to San Antonio in 1998 after James’ retirement, where she took a job working with students in the reading clinic at St. Phillips College. She also started private tutoring 1st and 2nd grade students having reading difficulties. She loved all her ”tutees”, as she would call them, and to say they loved her would be an understatement. She was a strong advocate for racial equality and equal rights for everyone, instilling these principles into her children. She was also a strong advocate for women’s rights, teaching her daughter that she could be and do whatever she wanted and teaching her son respect for women. It was called “women’s lib”, and on occasion her husband would try to be funny and call it the “women’s lip” movement. Those were the days her family would have to cook their own dinner as she reminded them that her cooking dinner was a privilege and not her duty. She loved laughter and had a great dry sense of humor. She was fearless, with a love for fast roller coasters and other thrill rides well into her 70’s. Her love of children and animals was a constant throughout her life. She valued the friends and co-workers in her life and was devoted to her family. One of her greatest joys in life was spending time with her family and especially her grandchildren, always looking forward to family events and holidays. The final family event we were blessed to spend with her was the virtual celebration of her 80th birthday a few weeks ago. She was an extraordinary woman and will be missed by everyone who knew her. FUNERAL SERVICE MONDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2020 11:30 A.M. PORTER LORING MORTUARY NORTH Interment will follow in Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery. For those who would like to view the livestream of the service, please see below: