Mrs. Joyce Ann Calhoun Chappelear, age 81, of Toccoa, Georgia was peacefully called to her Heavenly Home by God on Friday, December 10 ^th , 2021 from the lifelong Toccoa home shared with her soulmate Harry and with her parents as a child.  This special Heavenly Homecoming followed the most beautiful Stephens County - Toccoa First Responder Hero's Homecoming earlier that evening, thoughtfully arranged by Sheriff Randy Shirley, Police Chief Jimmy Mize & Assistant Fire Chief Frankie Dietz and their personnel, when she was finally able to return to her dearly missed lifelong home.  Having courageously fought over 11.5 weeks at Northside Forsyth Hospital to return home after an unexpected, long hospital stay, it was God's early Christmas miracle to her as she dearly loved Him and the celebration of the Christmas season.

Born November 29 ^th , 1940, in her "Golden", beloved Dahlonega, Georgia in Lumpkin County, Joyce was the daughter of the late Chester "Leon" Calhoun and Hazel Rider Calhoun, "Sissy" to her younger sister, the late Janice Calhoun Clark, sister-in-law to her late brother-in-law, Gary Clark, dedicated wife of her High School Soulmate Sweetheart who she has dearly missed since his Heavenly Homecoming September 2 ^nd , 2010, the late Edward Harrison "Harry" Chappelear and the dearly loved #1 Mother to her heartbroken daughter Angie Chappelear who loves and misses her beloved Mom & Dad so much.

Raised Methodist, Joyce became a lifelong member of the First Baptist Church of Toccoa when marrying her Toccoa "Purple Hurricane" High School Class of 1960 sweetheart, Edward Harrison "Harry" Chappelear on July 7 ^th , 1963.  In addition to her Sunday School class, for decades she served in the church nursery caring for more than one generation of God's children as they grew up in God's embrace.  Her love for babies knew no bounds.  Joyce attended Toccoa Schools and graduated in Toccoa "Purple Hurricanes" High School (THS) Class of 1958 with classmates that she cherished all her life.  She was a member of the Future Homemakers of America, Tri-H-Y Club, Beta Club, Junior Chorus, Library Club, Science Club and Pep Club.  Her THS 1958 Senior Class elected she and fellow classmate, Richard Smith the "Neatest" of classmates with the caption of her Senior annual picture reading, "she is as neat as a pin and dresses quite well" and she remained so throughout her beautiful 81 years.  She graduated as a Registered Nurse from Anderson College of Nursing in Anderson, SC in 1961 with classmates that she treasured all her life, enjoying a 40 year career in nursing, with over 37 years spent traveling and serving 10 counties in Northeast Georgia in Public Health, for years making home health visits, until retiring in 2000 as a Nursing Supervisor.  She began her career at the University of Georgia Medical Infirmary, Toccoa Medical Arts Clinic, served in pediatrics and had some hospital duty before embracing and enjoying Public Health nursing for decades.  Though headquartered in Gainesville, Georgia, she called her Stephens County Health Department office "home".  As one of God's highest honors, God called her husband Harry to serve as a Gideon to spread His word and Joyce was proud to be a member of the Gideons Auxiliary.  She loved cooking & decorating, was an avid reader, enjoyed crossword/word search challenges, loved sharing her life with children, was the University of Georgia BullDawgs loudest Mom cheerleader and as a widow of 11 years, enjoyed sharing her evenings with some of her favorite television shows when daughter Angie's career at the University of Georgia had her in Athens, Georgia.  She was a caring, compassionate nurse, a dedicated wife when her husband served the community at his beloved Toccoa Pharmacy, was a proud Campfire Girl's Mother to many special girls, a supportive wife of her husband's softball team players, loved filling in for "Glinda the Good Witch" during the Chappelear's children-loving Halloween festivities held at their North Oak Street home for 34 years, the best Mother any only child could have and a caring grandmother of her many 4-legged grandchildren.

Family members include the daughter who was so blessed by God to have the most special Mom and Dad, Angie Chappelear and Kim Norton of Winterville, Georgia; her sister Janice & brother-in-law Gary Clark's family: nephew & family Jason, Leigh, Brody, Bryson & Bennett Clark of Cumming, Georgia and nephew & family Jarrett, Falon, Landyn & Peyton Clark of Dawsonville, Georgia; brother-in-law and family: Danny & Lori Chappelear of Walhalla, SC; nephew Beau, Brook & May 2022 Baby Chappelear of Walhalla, SC and nephew Brock Chappelear of Walhalla, SC; as well as many other members of the Calhoun, Chappelear, Martin, Mills, Rider, the late Dean Simpson Keye families and many other cherished family, friends and coworkers.  Additionally, she loved and was loved by all of her four-legged grandchildren who will also miss her so much.

Often God closes a door to open a window and that seems to be the case with Mom's Heavenly Celebration.  Due to a number of circumstances beyond our control, we have rescheduled as follows:

Visitation will be held at 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Tuesday, December 21 ^st , 2021 at Whitlock Mortuary.  Her Heavenly Celebration will be uplifting at 3:00 PM Wednesday, December 22 ^nd , 2021 at the First Baptist Church of Toccoa.

A Heavenly Dove release and life's temporary earthly interment, alongside her High School Sweetheart, will be at the Toccoa City Cemetery behind her lifelong Toccoa home following her church service.  We look forward to being with those that can attend during this special Christmas season; however, for those that cannot join us in person to celebrate her life, the First Baptist Church of Toccoa will be sharing Joyce's special Heavenly service via Facebook.

To keep her loving memory alive, artificial flowers or potted plants are welcome though we know she would cherish those desiring to make a donation to the Nursery Fund of the First Baptist Church of Toccoa, the Gideons Auxiliary or to St. Jude Children's Hospital in honor of the many children that she personally and professionally cared for all her life.  Thank you for helping us to keep her and her soulmate Harry's memory alive through the future generations of little ones in Northeast Georgia.