Joyce Scott

Nelda Joyce Scott, of Kosse, passed away at Ascension Providence Hospital in Waco on Saturday, September 14, 2024, at age 73.

A Memorial Service will be held at the Word of Life Church in Groesbeck on Saturday, September 21, 2024, with Visitation beginning at 10:00 a.m. and the Service at 11:00 a.m. Pastor Randy Ayres will be officiating.

Joyce was born January 30, 1951, to Jesse Allison “Punk” O’Neal and Louise (Williams) O’Neal in Marlin, TX. She grew up in Kosse and graduated from Marlin High School in the Class of 1969.

After high school, Joyce attended Secretarial College in Waco while her sweetheart, Danny served in the military. 

Ralph Danny Scott and Nelda Joyce O’Neal were united in marriage on August 15, 1970. After she completed secretarial college, she worked for Bill Price in Marlin researching deeds and abstracts. She stopped working when her first son was born to be a full-time wife and mother. The family moved to different locations while Danny was employed in the construction of power plants, until settling in Kosse around 1980.

Joyce worked at U. S. Silica in Kosse as the maintenance secretary for many years until retiring. She had enjoyed having poodles as pets for years, and after she retired, she began raising and showing toy poodles. She had some as pets in the house and many more in kennels, spending many hours a week in their care, training and grooming. She sometimes showed them herself and sometimes sent them to shows with a handler. She and Danny bought a motor home to go to the multiple shows they participated in during a year. Two of the ones she showed finished as Champions, and one of the dogs she sold was shipped to a new owner in Japan. She also groomed and boarded dogs for friends. She kept her special pet poodles up through the last three years.

When not busy with work or her poodles, Joyce enjoyed making quilts and crocheting blankets (even for the dogs) and rugs, and refinishing furniture. Throughout the years, Joyce had enjoyed baking for her family and making candy for the holidays, as well as making special cakes for birthdays and other occasions. She used her skills to then make elaborate wedding cakes for all the weddings in her family and for others. Whatever she did, Joyce put her whole heart into it. For the ten years of his life, her only grandson, Declan, could do no wrong “in her eyes.” Declan was her “sunshine.” 

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Jesse and Louise O’Neal.

She is survived by her husband, Danny Scott of Kosse; son and daughter-in-law, Ralph James and Jean Scott of Kosse and son, Bradley Dan Scott of Kosse; grandson, Declan Scott of Kosse; sister and brother-in-law, Carol and Richard Stimmel of Kosse; brother and sister-in-law, Jimmy and Diane O’Neal of Kosse; and brother, Tommy O’Neal of Kosse; and nieces and nephews.