Joyce Appling (affectionately known as “Ms. J”) the daughter of the late Pearline Appling and Robert Miles was born on December 6, 1949 in Tewksbury, MA. She is the oldest of four children, two sisters and one brother. Growing up she attended Antioch Pentecostal Baptist Church under the leadership of the late Pastor Adell Collins. In the early eighties she became a member of Holy Tabernacle Church under Bishop Joe L. Smith.
Joyce performed various jobs throughout her working career. She worked at the Sheraton hotel, she worked as a nurse’s aide, and attended La Newton School of Beauty in Roxbury, where she became an accomplished hairdresser, until finally settling into her passion which was cooking. She was a certified cook for ABCD and work at the Bromley Heath Day Care for 14 years. Joyce was well known for cooking and baking all kinds of great dishes and desserts, not just for family and friends but anyone in need of good downhome food for various events. She would often prepare food for birthdays, weddings, retirement parties, graduations etc. She was the social butterfly of the family hosting all the holidays and family events at her house. She didn’t want us to cook any of the food because no one could do it better than her. She enjoyed cooking, it was truly her passion.
After a lengthy illness, Joyce went to rest on Saturday, July 24, 2021.