Joyce Darlene Mitchell Lovejoy passed away at her home in Okmulgee, Oklahoma on Monday, March 6, 2023, at the age of 57 years.

Joyce was the daughter of Billy James Anthony & Sylvia Ozell (Green) Anthony, born on January 17, 1966, in Holdenville, Oklahoma, where she was brought up and attended schools. She graduated Moss High School with the Class of 1984, and following graduation worked for a while at Holdenville Nursing Home. She was married in December of 1984 to David Mitchell. They were blessed with three children and enjoyed 28 years together before David passed away on January 19, 2012. Joyce married Fred Lovejoy on May 3, 2015; Fred passed away on March 2, 2019.

Joyce lived nearly all her life in Holdenville. She worked ten years for Twin Rivers Head Start, and fifteen years for Muscogee Nation Child Development Center. She retired in 2019 and moved in the summer of that year to Okmulgee to live near her daughters and help care for her grandchildren. She loved sewing and crafting, and she was very active in anything happening at her church, Okmulgee First Free Will Baptist Church. More than anything, she loved spending time with her grandchildren. She was dearly loved and will be sorely missed.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Billy & Ozell Anthony; her husband, David Mitchell, and husband Fred Lovejoy; infant daughter Katlyn; sister Wanda Robinson.

She is survived by three children: Amanda Rutland (Tony), Alicia Ballard, and Timothy Mitchell, all of Okmulgee; three grandchildren: Xander Rutland, Jaxson Rutland, and Grayson Ballard; sister Shirley Brown, brother David Anthony (Marlyn), all of Holdenville; nieces and nephews: Robin Mills (Danny) of Wetumka, D. J. Anthony (Destanyee) of Holdenville, Jason Manion (Alanna) of Holdenville, Wesley Robinson (Jill) of Roff, Wayne Robinson (Lori) of Holdenville; other relatives and many friends.

Funeral services were held on Friday, March 10, 2023, 11:00am at First Assembly of God Church in Holdenville and Joyce was laid to rest at Holdenville Cemetery, with Rev. Chet Cottomofficiating.

Wake was Thursday, March 9, 6:30pm at Fisher Funeral Home-Lillye Chapel.