Joyce Carpenter Warren

View Video Tribute Shirley Joyce Carpenter Warren, died peacefully at home, surrounded by her family on Monday evening, February 8, 2016. She is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 63 years, Rev. J. Arch Warren, her 7 children, 23 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 10:30 A.M. at Zion Presbyterian Church with Rev. Paul Warren officiating. Burial will follow in Zion Cemetery. The family will visit with friends Friday from 4:00 - 8:00 P.M. at the church. Oakes & Nichols Funeral Directors are assisting the family with arrangements. The family suggests memorials to Ethiopia ACT at www.ethiopiaact.org. Fond memories and condolences for the family may be extended at www.oakesandnichols.com. Joyce was born October 14, 1932 in Dallas, Texas, the oldest child of James Andrew Carpenter, Sr. and Carrie Cooper Carpenter. Jim was the first Aggie ever to be married while attending Texas A&M when the university changed the rules to allow cadets to marry. Joyce was followed by three younger siblings, who all survive her: her sister Mildred (Ross) George, brother James Andrew (Sue Ann Cooper) Carpenter, Jr., and George Ewing (Barbara) Carpenter. The family moved from Dallas in 1934 to New Orleans, Louisiana where they lived until returning to Dallas in 1947. Joyce graduated from Adamson High School in 1950 and matriculated to Abilene Christian College that fall. It was a year later during her sophomore year that she met a new student on campus, John Arch Warren. The two quickly fell in love and early the next spring were married in formal diapers. Joyce left her academic life in order to support Arch while he finished his studies. After his graduation, they moved to Three Rivers, Texas and entered full time ministry. In 1954 they welcomed their first child, Brenda Joyce. Feeling a call to the mission field, Arch took his young family from Texas to Longview, Washington where he ministered at the 11th and Michigan St. Church of Christ contributing to the chaos in that congregation. While in Longview, the family welcomed their first son, John Andrew. A number of career opportunities followed that led them first, back to Texas where, in 1961, they added another son, James Paul. From there they moved to Lincoln, Nebraska where their daughter Rebecca Ruth was born in 1964. After short tenures in Kansas City, Kansas, St. Louis, Missouri, and New York City, they moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee where Arch went to work for the Krystal Company in 1971. The family lived on the outskirts of Burning Bush, Georgia at Dog Trot Ranch. Joyce loved living out in the country. She was an amateur horticulturalist and grew flowers and vegetables and weeds in her large garden. She especially loved birds and raised a large flock of ducks and peacocks that would swarm to the house when she called them for supper. Arch embraced country life by becoming a cattleman, and with the help of his oldest son, Andy, developed a new breed known locally as Registered Boney Brownies. They had hoped to successfully breed Holsteins with Dachshunds in order to develop a breed of cattle that could be pastured with only one strand of barbed wire. That venture, unfortunately, never succeeded. It was during the years at Dog Trot Ranch that the family grew exponentially with the addition of David Beau, Barbara Ann (Vreeland) and Rosebud (Prater). Joyce was the quintessential "homemaker". She truly made Dog Trot Ranch into a home, not only for her family, but for anyone and everyone looking for a place to be loved and welcomed and fed a good meal. There was always room around the large dining room table and enough food for whoever happened to show up. The dining room table was also a place where everyone lingered and talked. Joyce would usually be the one to steer the conversation to spiritual things: scripture, theology, and world and life view were her favorite topics to discuss with whoever happened to be there - local college students, church friends, visiting missionaries (who often stayed in her home), neighbors, foreign exchange students, or her children's friends. Many an unsuspecting young person got asked, "What is your world and life view?" Those dinner table conversations would frequently go on for so long that they would be interrupted by the one non-negotiable daily event on the family schedule - evening devotions. Even up until her death, whoever was home would gather in the master bedroom where Arch would read a chapter from a Christian classic, a missionary biography and a chapter from the Bible. During the years that the children were at home they read through the entire Bible countless times. After reading, everyone would kneel around the bed and end the day in prayer. The next day would begin around the breakfast table where a chapter from the book of Proverbs would be read as well. Joyce's love for Scripture was instilled in her children. She was adamant that they all memorize God's Word. She loved to teach the Bible and when Arch returned to the pastoral ministry in 1988, she was a true partner in his ministry, reading, proofreading and editing his lessons and sermons. She led numerous Sunday School classes and Bible studies where her love for the Lord and her passion for Scripture was infectious. She influenced many to go into full-time ministry including a son and daughter-in-law who have served on the mission field in Africa for more than 30 years and a son who has been in pastoral ministry for more than 20 years. She also had a tremendous impact on the Rev. Tommy Allen of Kent, Washington, whom she considered one of her own and sustained his ministry in prayer. When Joyce was raising children, she made it clear to them that she wasn't interested in taking care of grandchildren. She frequently told them she would not be a babysitter. All of that changed on May 15, 1982 when the twins were born. She was instantly transformed into a doting and enthusiastic grandmother. "Nana" and "Papa" especially made a home in America for their missionary grandchildren. Andy & Bev were able to serve in Kenya and in Ethiopia knowing that when their children returned to the States for college, they had a home for holidays and school breaks. They would also go and stay with grandchildren while their children went on mission trips and vacations. Nana would instantly bring a sense of order and discipline that may have been lacking before her arrival. Joyce was probably never happier than when Arch left the business world and returned to full-time pastoral ministry. In 1988, he accepted a call as the pastor of Sweetwater Valley Presbyterian Church (now Christ Presbyterian Church) and together they ministered to that congregation for three and a half years before accepting a call to the historic Zion Presbyterian Church in Columbia, Tennessee where they lived and ministered until Arch retired in 2010. After his retirement, Arch & Joyce moved to Nashville to be near their daughters and Arch accepted a call to serve as Seniors Pastor at Covenant Presbyterian Church where he continues to teach Sunday School each week. There are also many other things that Joyce did; if every one of them were written down, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Joyce Warren was an active member of Covenant Presbyterian Church. She was also a member of the National Rifle Association and at the time of her death, a licensed gun owner with a concealed carry permit. She was a past member of the Daughters of the American Revolution but resigned her membership when the organization refused to admit her adopted daughters. Joyce herself had been adopted. She had been chosen by God for adoption as His daughter, through her precious savior, Jesus Christ. We, her children and grandchildren, rise up and call her blessed.Brenda & Bobby Ferrell; Capt. Peter & Capt. Jenna Ferrell, Zach, Rachel and Peyton Ferrell and Ellie Ferrell. Andy & Bev Warren: Dr. Hannah & Amit Bansil, Dr. Cooper, Dr. Mollie & Clare Warren, Asher & Rachel Warren, Kit & Mollie Warren. Paul & Phyllis Warren: LTJG Arny & Clarine Warren, LTJG Archie Warren, Zoe Warren, MIDN 1C Carpenter Warren, MIDN 3C Shepherd Warren and Glory Warren.Becky & Ron Carter; Patricia, D.J., Skyler and Sydney Howard, Warren Carter, John Paul Carter, Grace Carter, Rebecca Carter.Beau & Kristie Warren: Brittany and Lexie Warren, David Warren and Alan WarrenBarbara Ann & Warren Vreeland: Heidi Vreeland and Robbie Vreeland.Rose & Greg Prater: Kareena & Natalie Ann Prater..