Katherine "Joyce" Strickland

Fuquay Varina - Katherine “Joyce” Marie Lee Strickland, 89, passed away on Friday, September 13, 2024, at home surrounded by the love of her daughter, son and son-in-law with Elvis’s gospel songs playing throughout the room.

Joyce was born in Harnett County on 12/25/1934, a “Christmas baby,” she was the daughter of the late Thomas Handy Lee and Ada Baker Lee. After graduation from Central High School, she became a devoted wife, paralegal and then a loving stay at home mom. She returned to college in her early 50’s to earn her Bachelor’s degree from Methodist College because it was “a goal I always wanted to achieve.”

Her greatest loves in life were watching her children and grandchildren grow up. She also loved all her pets, including her cats, dogs and chickens. Throughout her life, she had a great love for music, singing in church, round and square dancing, gardening into the late hours, doing crosswords and completing tons of beautiful puzzles.

Heaven’s gate opened on Friday morning, and Mrs. Strickland was reunited with her eldest son, Anthony Gene Strickland; her parents, Ada and Handy Lee; the father of her children, Billy G. Strickland; her sister, Frances Vendettuoli; her dog, Princess and two cats, Cutie and Goldie.

Remaining on earth with sadness and great memories is her daughter, Valerie Strickland Matthews, her husband, David and their three daughters, Alexandra, Kaitlyn and Sophia Matthews of Fuquay Varina; her son Shawn Christopher Strickland, his daughter Hannah Strickland and his son, Gabe Strickland of Hampstead; her sisters, Gloria Mercer (Winfred), Angela Naylor (Eddie); her brother, Thomas Lee (Carolyn) and brother-in-law, Pat Vendettuoli.

A funeral service will be held for Joyce at 1:00 pm on Sunday, September 22nd in the chapel of Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, 300 E. McIver St. Angier, NC 27501. The family will receive friends prior to the service from 12:00-12:45 pm at the funeral home. Joyce will be laid to rest at 3:00 pm, Sunday, September 22nd at Lafayette Memorial Park and Mausoleum, 2301 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville, NC 28301.