Joy E. Coyan

Our Lord finally had a room ready for Joy Masters Coyan. Joy was ill for a number of years with heart disease and died on Monday, October 14, 2013 at SOMC Hospice, Portsmouth, Ohio. She was the oldest daughter of the late Richard "Dick" and Bea Masters and was also preceded in death by her brother Richard "Rick" Masters her husband of 44 years, Floyd "Boone" Coyan, and great grandson Braydon Cole Burnette. Joy never met a stranger and was filled with the beauty of so many things. She enjoyed seeing new places and especially old homes; she said they always reminded her of the movie "Meet me in Saint Louis". She was a great movie buff and her many other hobbies included sewing, crocheting, painting and most of all, reading. Many of her friends and family have one of her beautiful afghans and she always told them that each time they wrapped it around themselves, she was giving them a big hug. In 1978 she turned her love of reading into a business by starting a used book store in Jackson, called the Paperback Shack. She operated her business for 18 years with the help of her dear friend Jenny Martin (who pre-deceased her) before ill health forced her retirement. She also ran a rental agency for a number of years enabling her employers to retire out of state. She was a member of the Jackson Christian Church and taught Sunday School there for a number of years. She also was a member of the Jackson County Genealogy Society and the French Colony Daughters of the American Revolution, Gallipolis, Ohio. Genealogy was her passion and she was so proud of having found a number of Revolutionary War patriots in her family history. During the research on her family, she discovered that her great-great-great grandfather had been with George Washington during the winter siege of Valley Forge, so our history became that much more meaningful for her and her family. She is survived by her loving companion James Wilson; daughters, Cathy Ann Hammer and Penny Sue (Phil) Tackett; son, Jeffrey Floyd Coyan; grandchildren: Penny Michelle (Tony) Burnette, Dr. Brandie (Joe) Tackett-Styron, David Floyd (Lindsey) Coyan, Tyrus Wilson Coyan and Cassandra Lynn Coyan; six great grandchildren; stepchildren: Carol (Steve) McCorkle, Susan (John) Smith, Mary Jane (Bruce) Richards; sister, Laverne Pritchard, nieces Diane and Shari; and many close friends. Memorial service will be held at the Jackson Christian Church Sunday, October 20, at 7:00 P.M., with Rev. Clifford Coleman officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the SOMC Hospice Center, Portsmouth, Ohio. Arrangements under direction of the Mayhew-Brown Funeral Home.

Joy E. Coyan

January 7, 1937 - October 14, 2013