Joyce Ann Medlock Henderson

Joyce Ann Medlock Henderson, 82, of Jackson, Tennessee, passed away unexpectedly on August 31, 2026, at her home in Jackson.

She was born December 10, 1943, in Paris, Tennessee, Joyce lived a full and purposeful life shaped by faith, education, service, and music. She earned her Associate of Arts in Nursing from Union University in 1966, her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Texas Christian University in 1970, and her Master of Science in Nursing from the University of California San Francisco in 1971. In the mid-1980s, she began doctoral coursework at the University of Texas at Austin, continuing to pursue her passion for learning throughout her life. Joyce went on to serve as an Associate Professor of Nursing at The University of Tennessee Memphis from 1975 to 1980, then an Associate Professor of Nursing at Union University from 1980 to 2005 and continued as an adjunct professor through 2010. Her decades in the classroom reflected both her love of teaching and her deep commitment to preparing others for a life of caring service. 

Music was a gift Joyce carried with her from childhood, having learned to play the piano in elementary school. Throughout her life, she shared that gift generously, playing piano and organ for several churches, including Cherokee Baptist Church in Memphis, North Jackson Baptist Church, Pleasant Plains Baptist Church, and Oakfield Baptist Church in Jackson. For Joyce, music was never just a talent, it was an expression of her faith and her heart for others. For many years, Joyce also volunteered at St. Mary's Manor, where she faithfully visited residents to check blood pressure and provide other basic medical care. She cherished those visits, and the residents came to look forward to seeing her.Joyce poured herself into teaching Adult Sunday school, where she shared her deep love for the Lord with warmth, patience, and joy. She took great care in preparing her lessons, and her dedication to teaching God’s word stood as one of the truest reflections of who she was. 

Joyce is survived by her husband, Willis Bradford Henderson; her son, Grant Montgomery, and his wife, Christina, of Blue Springs, Missouri; and their children, Cassidy, Allison, and Jackson Montgomery. She is also survived by her nephew, Gary Frye of Alamo, Tennessee, and her niece, Jeannie Silva of Michigan. She was preceded in death by her sister, Allene Frye; her brother, William Baxter Medlock; and her niece, Scarlett Earlene Ervin.

A time to gather with family and friends will be held Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Oakfield Baptist Church, 3527 Old Medina Rd, Oakfield, TN 38362. The funeral service will follow at 2:00 p.m. at Oakfield Baptist Church, with burial to follow at approximately 3:00 p.m. at Highland Memorial Gardens, 3360 N Highland Ave., Jackson, TN.

n lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks that donations be made in Joyce's memory to the Union University Nursing Department or to Oakfield Baptist Church. Checks may be mailed to Union University, 1050 Union University Dr., Jackson, TN 38305 (please note "In memory of Joyce Henderson"), or given online at uu.edu/giving. Donations to Oakfield Baptist Church may be mailed to 3527 Old Medina Road, Oakfield, TN 38362, in honor of Joyce Henderson.

Joyce Ann Medlock Henderson will be lovingly remembered for her devotion to her family, her decades of service in nursing education, her generous heart for others, and the music she so faithfully shared throughout her life.