JOYCE E HORNBEAK

Joyce E. Desmuke Hornbeak was born in Muskogee, Oklahoma on July 21,1934 to Lamar and Mattieletha (Mattie) Desmuke. She went to be with the Lord on February 14, 2024.  She was raised in Muskogee, Oklahoma. She attended Dunbar Elementary, Sadler Junior High and Manual Training High School. She played softball for the parks and recreation department. She was the fastest runner in her high school, but women's sports teams were not available yet in school. At school, participated in choir and was part of the trio that won the state championship. She attended Langston University and received a degree in Business and Education. She worked in the registrar's office during her college years and was a member of Langston's gymnastics-tumbling club. Joyce was Miss Homecoming at Langston in 1956 and was initiated into the Alpha Zeta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority in 1952 in which she was very active once her children graduated high school.

Upon graduation college, she relocated with her husband, Charles Hornbeak, to San Antonio, Texas. There, she worked in Civil service at Ft. Sam Houston and later at the Veterans Hospital for about 20 years. Also, she briefly made announcements on public television before having a 20-year teaching career. Joyce loved singing in the choir and heading up the children’s choir at church in which she was a very active member for over 50 years. She had many wonderful friends there. Joyce showed how much she cared about people by donating funds monthly to various charities around the world and even financially sponsoring a girl in Africa for years. She was a very loving and dedicated wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt, cousin and friend.

She is preceded in death by her parents, Luise-sister, Harlene-sister, Muriel-brother, Austin-brother, Ruby Jean-sister, Marlene-sister, Verna-sister, husband LTC Charles Julius Hornbeak, and grandson Isaac K. Mooney. She leaves to cherish her memory her children Charles Mitchell, Karen and Sean, stepson Julius Phillip; her sister Teresa Ross; her grandchildren Amanda (Jeremy), Christie and Deliah Joy (Julius); great granddaughter Juliana; nieces, nephews, cousins and friends and best friend Daisy Ransom. The family would like to thank the members if St. Paul United Methodist Church, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Pecan Valley rehabilitation Center, Cardinal Senior care, Mission Trail Hospital, Baptist Hospital, NE Baptist, Three Oaks Hospice, and numerous other angels.