Joyce Rogers Weaver

Joyce Rogers Weaver, beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother of Batesville, Mississippi, passed away peacefully at the home of her granddaughter in Dundee, Mississippi, surrounded by loved ones, on January 3, 2026, after a valiant journey with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. True to the way she lived, she faced her final illness with grit, courage, grace, and unwavering resolve to remain with her family as long as she possibly could.

A home going celebration will be 2:00 P.M. Tuesday, January 6, 2026, in the Martin Willingham Memorial Chapel of Wells Funeral Home with Rev. Jim Scruggs officiating. The interment will follow the service at Forrest Memorial Park in Batesville, MS. A time of visitation will be from 5:00 - 7:00 P.M. Monday evening, January 5, 2026, at Wells Funeral Home.

Joyce was born August 26, 1938, in Lambert, Mississippi, to Elisha K. Rogers and Helen Christine Lane Rogers. She was only called by her given name by the government and doctor’s offices. To her friends aged fifty years old and over, she was known affectionately as “Mama Josie.” To her friends under fifty years old, she was known simply as “Granny.” She worked for many years at the Hosiery Mill (Panola Mills) and Scott Furniture Company in Batesville, Mississippi. Later in life, she attended nursing school and became a labor and delivery nurse for two decades. Upon her retirement from nursing, she cared for infants in her home.

She was the proud mother of six children, two of whom preceded her in death. Family was the center of her world. After rejecting his marriage proposals three times before, on January 4, 1958, she agreed to marry Wesley Levoy Weaver, who took her immediately to the courthouse to seal the deal lest she change her mind. They loved one another deeply; however, because of struggles that significantly impacted their marriage and family, Joyce ended their marriage. She could always rely on the faithful support of her parents, and her friends of the United Pentecostal Church in Batesville, MS, while raising six children alone during those difficult years. Wesley was the love of her life, and true love survived, as it always does, and in 1991, Joyce and Wesley remarried and remained so until his death.

Joyce was entirely comfortable and at peace with herself. She lived independently until the final days of her life, and she often declared that she could never be bored because she could have any adventure she wanted through reading, and she could never be lonely because she had the Lord. She traveled as much as she could. For years, she traveled to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, sometimes camping alone, sometimes with a car full of grandkids, nearly every weekend. At age 62, she accomplished her dream of hiking Mt. LeConte and spending the night atop the mountain.

Her greatest legacy lives on through her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, who carry forward her compassion, work ethic, and enduring love. She will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever cherished, especially during holidays, parties, and adventures to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the beach.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her youngest child, Mike Laverne Weaver, her husband, Wesley Levoy Weaver, her brother, Curtis Rogers, and her eldest child, Rickey Levoy Weaver. She was a member of the First United Pentecostal Church, Sardis, Mississippi.

Left to cherish her memory are her daughters, Wanda Prince (Ronnie) of Batesville, Mississippi, Rhonda Jones of Batesville, Mississippi, and Debbie Scruggs (Jim) of Sardis, Mississippi, and her son, David Weaver (Pam), of Marks, Mississippi; her grandchildren, Chasidy Jones, Rachel Jones Fyke (Jeremy), Victoria Prince Ryals (Wes), Autum Weaver Pierce, Kristie Duke, Christina Michele Prince, Michael Stephen Weaver (Melissa), Dianna Joyce Scruggs Sapp (Cameron), and Deborah Sharon Scruggs. She is survived by her great-grandchildren, Wesley, Paxton, and Finley Fyke, Liam and Luke Ryals, Sarrah Lane and Ava Drake Pierce, and MiKaela Laster and Baylee Duke.

She adored flowers. Flowers are welcome. For those interested in other memorials, please consider a contribution in her name to Friends of the Smokies, P.O. Box 1660, Kodak, TN 37764, friendsofthesmokies.org.