Mary Helen Shaffer Joyce

Mary (Moosey) Helen Shaffer Joyce (95) died December 21, 2025, at home at Heritage Greens in Greensboro, NC with her family by her side. Mary was born on April 14, 1930, to William Aten Shaffer and Ruth Edna Shelton Shaffer in Sandy Ridge, NC. She grew up on their farm with her three younger siblings. She learned from an early age the value of hard work and this stayed with her, her entire life. Edna was just sixteen when Mary was born and they were very, very close all their lives. Her Mom didn’t want to send her to school by herself, so she remained at home for one year so she could attend school with her younger brother Robert. She attended Sandy Ridge High School where she played basketball. She met her future husband, Raeford (Bud) Joyce, who drove her school bus. She graduated from high school in 1949.

Bud and Mary Helen married on December 4, 1951, and began their married life in a tiny house with no running water or bathroom for $8 a month. She worked at Washington Mills where her mom also worked. She and Bud moved to Nashville, TN in 1955 so he could attend Nashville Auto Diesel College. Upon his graduation in 1956, they moved to Winston Salem, NC. She went to work at Hanes Hosiery. They welcomed daughter Kim in December 1959. They moved to Walkertown, NC in 1966 where they rented a house while building their home in Kernersville, NC on 10 acres. They lived there for 53 years. Mary worked for Hanes Hosiery for 36 years retiring in 1992. She worked extremely hard both professionally and personally. Bud and Mary grew a very large garden every year sharing their bounty with family and friends. Mary canned or froze everything they grew. Her green beans, sweet pickles and frozen corn were loved by family and friends.

Mary and Kim enjoyed doing many things together throughout the years, especially shopping. She loved picking up her grandsons Zachary and Jacob from school three days a week. They thought she was wonderful because she took them to McDonalds on the way home. Zach and Jacob spent a lot of time with their grandparents playing outside.

Mary loved helping Bud renovate their house at Lake Norman. They were blessed to purchase a fixer upper next door to her brother and his wife. Together they transformed the house into a vacation home that the whole family continues to enjoy. Mary and Bud enjoyed hosting friends, family, and church groups at the lake.

The family thanks the staff at Heritage Greens and especially the caregivers with Options For Senior America for their loving care for Mary during her final journey home to the Lord. A memorial celebration of Mary’s life will be held at 1:00pm Saturday, January 10, 2026 at Hayworth-Miller Kernersville Chapel. The family will receive friends following the service. Officiating the service is Pastor Greg Mullis.

In addition to her parents, Mary was predeceased by her brothers David (Sonny) Shaffer and William Robert Shaffer. She is survived by her husband of 74 years Bud, their daughter, Kim Joyce Dawson and husband Keith; grandchildren Jacob Dawson and Zachary Dawson, his wife Elizabeth; and great-grandchildren Benjamin and Emma; sister Brenda Kay Keller and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in memory of Mary Helen Shaffer Joyce to Trellis Supportive Care 101 Hospice Lane, Winston-Salem, NC 27103 or Goodwill Baptist Church 3110 Piney Grove Road, Kernersville, 27284.