CAT Tracks for May 31, 2011 ARRANGEMENTS...JOYCE CHAMPION

The following memo was distributed today by the CJSHS Office:

Visitation for Mrs. Joyce Champion will be on Wednesday, June 1st at the Byrn Funeral Home in Mayfield, KY from 5:00-8:00 p.m.

Funeral services will be on Thursday, June 2nd at the Byrn Funeral Home in Mayfield, KY at 11:00 a.m.

Below is a link to the funeral home. An online obituary is available there...

Byrn Funeral Home

She was born August 24, 1933 in Clinton, Ky to William Earnest and Mildred Louise Graham Halteman. She married Ralph Franklin Champion on April 5, 1958 and was the mother of two girls Rose Gayle Pickett (Joe) of Makanda, Il and Lee Anne Champion of Mayfield, KY. The special gift of her and Ralph’s life was their grandson William Graham Crouch who recently married Bethany and they have one son Rylan. They too reside in Mayfield, Kentucky. Mrs. Champion graduated from High School in Clinton, KY and continued her education by completing a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Murray State University. She also earned a Master of Education at Murray and continued by earning thirty hours above her Masters along with her administration certification. She always instilled the value of education in everyone she knew in her life. Mrs. Champion spent over 45 years of her life devoted to the education of children. She began her career at Lowes High School teaching senior English. Her connection to this group of students has continued for over 45 years. She worked for many years at Reidland High School in the English and journalism departments. While at Reidland, Mrs. Champion enjoyed producing plays with her students and helping to produce a newspaper for the high school. A huge portion of her teaching career was in Illinois. She taught in Cairo in the late 1960’s and again in the 1980’s. Mrs. Champion was also a building principal in Equality, Illinois at the elementary and high school levels. She continued her administrative career in Cairo as the principal at Bennett Elementary. She retired from teaching in 1988, but continued to work as the Director of Curriculum and Instruction for the Cairo School District until 2005. Her passion for teaching was an inspiration to hundreds of young people. Her influence on shaping young lives will be greatly missed. She was respected, loved, and admired by her colleagues. Education was her friend and extended family. Funeral services for Mrs. Champion will be held at 11:00AM Thursday June 2, 2011 at the Byrn Funeral Home in Mayfield KY. Rev. Ronnie Woods will officiate. Entombment will follow in the Highland Park Mausoleum. Visitation will be held from 5:00 – 8:00PM Wednesday June 1, 2011 at the funeral home. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of donations to The American Diabetes Association or the Graves County Humane Society.