Joyce Fern Harris

On Wednesday, December 10, 2025, heaven opened its gates and welcomed home one of its gentlest and most faithful souls, as Joyce Fern Harris passed peacefully in Denton, Texas. Born on October 11, 1936, in Detroit, Texas, to Jewel and Della Mae Weaver, Joyce spent her life as a quiet, steady light—living proof of God’s love, grace, and tenderness. Every breath she took, every kindness she offered, was shaped by her deep and abiding faith.

Growing up on a farm, Joyce learned early the values of hard work, humility, and gratitude. Those simple beginnings became the foundation of a life marked by purpose and compassion and eventually becoming a pastor’s wife.

On April 11, 1958, she married the love of her life, Roy Eugene “Gene” Harris, at the United Pentecostal Church in Paris, Texas. Together they shared over 60 beautiful years of marriage—years filled with devotion, partnership, and a love that weathered every season.

Joyce and Gene owned several businesses in North Texas, and for many years Joyce oversaw the day-to-day operations of their SEW-VAC store in Gainesville, Texas. She genuinely loved meeting people and made every customer feel like a friend. Her warmth turned simple interactions into moments of connection.

Joyce loved the Lord with a devotion that was deep, unwavering, and sincere. Church was not merely a place she attended—it was the heartbeat of her life. As a pastor’s wife, she poured herself into ministry with grace and humility, offering prayer, encouragement, and love to all who needed it. Her worship was unmistakably joyful; when she lifted her voice to the hymns she cherished—“I’ll Meet You in the Morning,” “Blessed Assurance,” and so many others—it was clear that she sang as one who walked closely with her Savior.

To know Joyce was to be welcomed, heard, and genuinely loved. She possessed a rare ability to make everyone around her feel valued. Her conversations were gentle and full of grace, her presence calming, her compassion lifting even the heaviest heart. Her kindness was not loud or flashy—it was steady, quiet, and sincere, like a soft flame that never faded.

Her family was her greatest treasure. She poured her heart into her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, covering them in prayer, guidance, and unwavering love. Her laughter, her smile, and her peaceful spirit will be forever cherished at every gathering, every holiday, and in every memory.

Joyce is preceded in death by her parents, Jewel and Della Weaver, and her brothers JD, Elmer (Red), and Gavin Weaver.

She is survived by:

Her three children: • Donna Gass and husband Daniel of Krum, TX

• Kim Weatheread and husband Wayne of Corinth, TX • Stephen Harris and wife Shelli of Grafton, WI

Seven grandchildren: Nathan Gass and wife Astrid, Jared Weatheread and wife Mariah, Gentry Weatheread and wife Kenley, Dylan Weatheread, Naomi Matheson and husband Reagan, Lily Harris, and Bella Harris

Two great-grandchildren: Olive Matheson and Beckham Weatheread

Each one carries a piece of her beautiful legacy in their hearts.

She is also survived by her sisters: • Lois Weems of Paris, TX • Geraldine Weems of Rockwall, TX • Betty Flowers and husband John of Reno, NV

Along with many in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and loved ones.

Funeral services will be held at Victory Life Church on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, at 11:00 AM, with visitation beginning an hour prior. Joyce will be laid to rest at Roselawn Memorial Park following the service.

Though Joyce has stepped into eternity, her spirit remains woven into the lives she touched. Her gentle faith, her love of worship, and her beautiful heart will continue to shine in the memories of all who knew her. We rest in the same hope she carried throughout her life: that she is now rejoicing in the presence of the God she loved so dearly, singing the hymns she cherished with perfect joy.

“Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of your Lord.” — Matthew 25:23