Joyce Stokes
Joyce Ann Cosby Stokes
Joyce Stokes entered her Heavenly home on June 1, 2025 surrounded by family. Born June 25, 1931 in Oneonta, NY, she was the daughter of Virgil M. and Hazel Cosby. She was a graduate of Cleveland Heights High School and Muskingum College, where she met her late husband, Robert Stanley Stokes. They married on June 19, 1954.
Joyce was an elementary teacher until the children arrived and then devoted her life to caring for her family. She was a meticulous housekeeper, supported her husband as a coach’s wife, and supported children in all of their activities.
Joyce was active in many organizations in her lifetime. She was a member of the Garden Study Club, creating landscapes at her home that were filled with beautiful flowers. She was a member of AA Sorority and CLSC of Chautauqua, NY.
Joyce devoted her life to her church. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Ashland, where she served as an Elder, Sunday School teacher, member of the choir, a Stephen Minister and Stephen Ministry Leader.
Another gift Joyce had was rug hooking. It was a passion and a gift. In the summer she would meet weekly with her rug hooking friends at Chautauqua Lake. Her family fondly called her the “Happy Hooker.”
In their retired life, Joyce and Bob loved to travel. They spent the summers at their lake house in Chautauqua, NY enjoying family and friends and creating cherished memories. They also loved to travel to the East Coast in the fall and to Hilton Head with their dear sister and brother-in-law, Joanne and Carroll Bumpus, where euchre tournaments were played nightly for the coveted championship trophy.
Joyce was a lifetime Guardians fan, starting as a young girl where she went to the games with her father. Duke basketball was her preferred college team. She loved watching every season and held the title of most wins in the family Final Four Bracket tournament.
Joyce is survived by her children, Steve, Debbie and son-in-law Dan McNaull, and Chris; brother Virgil and sister-in-law Inga Cosby; sister-in-law Joanne Bumpus; grandchildren Christy (Scott) Conrath, Kelly (Dale) Swearingen, Grant (Alexis) Stokes, Mollie (Jensen) Green, Olivia (Cole) Fonte, and Luke Stokes; great-grandchildren Owen and Clara Conrath, and Eleanor Stokes; and many nieces and nephews.
Joyce is preceded in death by her husband, Robert, and parents Dr. and Mrs. Virgil M. Cosby.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at 4:00 p.m. in the Denbow-Gasche Funeral Home with Reverend Andrew Cuffman and Reverend Dr. JoAnn Ford Watson presiding. Friends and family may visit two hours prior to the service from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The family suggests memorial contributions may be made to the Robert & Joyce Stokes Family Scholarship, Ashland County Community Foundation, 300 College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805.
For those unable to attend, online condolences may be shared on the funeral home’s website at denbowfh.com.
Denbow-Gasche Funeral Home & Crematory is handling the arrangements.