Joyce Hester

Joyce Rae Hester, 84, of Corpus Christi, Texas passed away March 7, 2015. Joyce was born November 23, 1930 in Leesville, Texas to Edna Mae Walker and Raymond Hester. She grew up in San Antonio, Stockdale and Taft. She graduated from Taft High School on May 24, 1948. She met D.A. Cornett on a blind date and they married April 9. 1949. They lived briefly in Sinton, Texas before moving to Bishop, Texas. They had two children, Gary and Cathy, that Joyce stayed home to raise until both kids entered school. At that time, Joyce went to college, Texas A & I University in Kingsville, Texas. She graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education on August 26, 1966. She stayed busy being a wife, mother, student and still managed to sing in the 1st Baptist Church choir on Sundays and maintain membership in the Bishop Music Club. After graduating from college, she started teaching World Literature, American Literature, English Literature, World History, American History, and Texas History to Seniors at King High School in Kingsville. She taught there for 13 years, form 1966 to 1979. In 1979, Joyce resumed teaching at Calallen High School in Calallen, Texas, finally retiring on May 23, 1990. On April 24, 1980, she married Norman L. Brown and they lived in Portland, Texas. Joyce loved history and instilled that love in her two children. In 1960, she, along with her husband, two kids, and mother, took a trip through 25 states visiting historical sites along the way. She loved to read, loved everything Elvis, loved her cats and dogs, loved listening to Irish/Celtic music, took pride in her Scots-Irish ancestry, loved God and family. She is survived by her brother, Bill (Joyce) Hester, her son, Gary (Susan) Cornett, daughter, Cathy (Mark) Villarreal, grandchildren, Jason (April) Kisiah, Capri (Cade) Patterson, Justin (Rachel) Cornett-Olsson, Jonathan Villarreal, Jeremy Villarreal, and three great grandchildren, Kaley Kisiah, Posey Patterson, and Aster Cornett-Olsson. A special thanks to the staff at Cimarron Place Health and Rehabilitation Center and the staff at Altus Hospice. Funeral services will be conducted on Saturday, March 14, 2015 at 1:00 P.M. at the Sawyer-George Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow in the Robstown Memorial Park.