Joy Collier LeMasters

Joy Collier LeMasters went to join her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in the early morning hours of May 2, 2024. She lived 98 full and wonderful years.

Joy was born in Groveton, Texas, on August 30, 1925, to Eugene and Lilla Collier. The youngest of four, she was doted on by her much older siblings, Lucy, Eugene, and Fay. Her family moved to Huntsville several years later, and Joy grew up across the street from Sam Houston Teacher’s College while helping out in the family dry goods store. After graduating from Huntsville High School, Joy entered Sam Houston and graduated in 1944 with her teaching degree and a specialization in history, English and Spanish. During the 1950s, she earned her M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Houston, but also found time during the summers to pursue additional studies at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

Upon receiving her undergraduate degree, Joy moved to Beaumont and entered the other “family business” – education. Joy’s first teaching assignment was in Port Arthur because she was too young to teach in Beaumont – at the time, educators were required to be at least 20 years old to serve as classroom teachers in BISD. The next year, she began her long career as an educator in Beaumont, teaching at Dick Dowling Junior High School.  She later became one of the first homebound teachers for the district and was instrumental in starting the first program for teen mothers in Beaumont ISD. Joy had a passion for education and once you were one of “Miss Collier’s students,” you remained one of her students forever. She taught many of Beaumont’s civic and educational leaders and would recall wonderful tales about them from their days in her classroom at Dick Dowling. She was loved by all and attended many Beaumont High class reunions because of the lasting impact she had on her many students. Joy served Beaumont ISD for over 40 years.

It was through education that she met her husband of 49 years, Claude LeMasters. They were married on March 27, 1959. Joy took a brief break from teaching to raise their two sons, Claude Richard “Dick” LeMasters, and Philip LeMasters. During that time, she was active in PTA and church activities until returning to the classroom when both boys were in elementary school. Joy attended all of her sons’ baseball, football and basketball games, band and orchestra performances, and made her famous finger sandwiches for many speech and debate tournaments. She continued this tradition with her grandchildren and never missed a dancing recital, sporting event or school program, even if she had to travel hours to do so. She was the beloved “Grandmother” to Ian, Kate, Mary Margaret, Patrick, Will, and Annie. Her French toast and homemade sourdough bread were legendary. That, plus the fond memories of many hours of throwing wiffle balls, running through sprinklers, hosting tea parties, and playing in Combest Park, will always bring smiles to her grandchildren’s faces. Joy rebranded herself as “GG” (Great Grandmother) with the birth of her great granddaughters Reagan Joy and Reid Annabelle.

Joy had a true servant’s heart and loved giving back to her church and her community. She spent countless hours at Woodland Baptist Church as a Sunday School teacher, Vacation Bible School leader, and as a volunteer preparing and delivering meals to her church’s shut-in seniors. She was also an active and loyal member of the Minglewood Garden Club and the Beta Sigma Phi service sorority. After her retirement from the classroom, Joy made new friends from all over the world by teaching English to adults at First Baptist Church’s International Friends program. Her interest in family history and genealogy inspired her in her later years to become a member of the Colonel George Moffet chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She served in many roles in NSDAR and never missed a meeting, even after she had stopped driving.

Love of learning will be one of the legacies Joy leaves behind. She loved reading, especially history, and passed her love of books on to her grandchildren. Joy was well known for her Scrabble skills, and if you could beat Grandmother, you were considered a Scrabble master.

Our family wishes to express our deepest gratitude to Joy’s caregivers Lynette Nixon, Shalanna Murphy, Mary Young, and Barbara Little for the exceptional love and attention they gave Joy over the past three years. Every caregiver provided by Heavenly Hearts Caregivers and Sheila Patterson went above and beyond the call of duty. Emily Bergeron, Helen Harrison, the Altus Hospice Care staff, Collier Park Nurse Pam Taylor, and the medical technicians and staff from Collier Park were always kind, caring, and attentive to Joy’s needs. We will be eternally grateful and will always consider Joy’s caregivers to be part of our family.

Joy is survived by her sons, Dick LeMasters and his wife, Candace of Beaumont, and Philip LeMasters and his wife, Paige of Abilene. In addition to her six grandchildren, her two great-granddaughters, and her large extended family, Joy is also survived by her nephews, John Gray and his wife, Penny of Spring, and Royce Albrecht of Corpus Christi. Joy was preceded in death by her husband, Claude and her siblings, Eugene Collier, Fay Collier, and Lucy Gray.

A gathering of Mrs. LeMasters’ family and friends will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Monday, May 6, 2024, at Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont. Her funeral service will be 2:00 pm., Tuesday, May 7, 2024, at Broussard’s, with her interment to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.