Joy Vrolyk

Joy Vrolyk, 93, of Nederland, Texas, died Thursday November 13, 2025 after a brief illness. She was born October 16, 1932, to James Russell Chamblee and Pauline Reynolds Glenn in Dothan, Alabama.

She received her primary school education in Columbus, Georgia, Vincennes, Indiana, Montgomery, Alabama, and Atlanta, Georgia. She completed her secondary school education in Port Arthur, Texas, where she graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1950. Joy played flute in the Maroon and Gold Band and sang in the Melody Maids. She was Band Secretary in her senior year. She was also a member of the Heralds, the Girls Recreation Association and the Spanish Club. Joy was active in the Campfire Girls where her mother was the Group Guardian. And, in her seventies and eighties, she joined the annual gatherings of a Camp Waluta Reunion Group.

Joy attended Lamar Tech and took a year’s break to work full-time in self-support and to save for her continued education. When she resumed her education at Lamar, she played flute and sat in the Cardinal Band opposite to a saxophone player named Roy C. Vrolyk and kept winking both eyes at him. Joy graduated from Lamar in 1955 with a degree in Elementary Education, then she and Roy married in July. Joy taught second grade in the Nederland Public Schools while Roy completed his degree in Chemical Engineering.

Joy had four sons that she supported in Scouting, where all four boys became Eagle Scouts, sports, music and other endeavors.  She was always proud of them. After the nest emptied she became involved with the United Board of Missions, where she volunteered for over thirty years.

Joy was an active member of First Baptist Church Nederland with Roy, her husband of 70 years. She taught Sunday School and sang in The Silvertones Choir.

She is survived by her husband of 70 years, Roy Vrolyk; children, Michael Vrolyk and his wife, Anne, Scot Vrolyk, Ross Vrolyk, and Steven Vrolyk and his wife, Sherry; grandchildren, Whitney Legore and her husband, Andrew, Brooklyn Wright and her husband, Seth, Britney Vrolyk and her husband, David Evans, Jordan Vrolyk, and Logan Vrolyk; great-grandchildren, André Sorba III and Evelyn Legore; and twin brother, Dr. James R. Chamblee.

Joy is preceded in death by her parents; granddaughter, Ashley Vrolyk; and siblings Reyn Sheehan and Betty Ploger.

Memorial contributions can be made to United Board of Missions, 6650 9^th Avenue, Port Arthur, Texas 77642.

A gathering of Joy’s family and friends will begin at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday November 19, 2025, at Broussard’s 505 North 12th Street, Nederland with her funeral service to follow at 2:00 p.m. Her interment following at Memory Gardens Cemetery of Jefferson County, Nederland.