Joyce Lee Young

Joyce “Joy” Lee Young, 84, of Laurel passed away September 30, 2023.  She was born January 24, 1939 to George and Ruby Ballenger in a snowstorm in Leesburg, Virginia.

Joy was known as a loving and caring mother, always providing for her children.  She came to know the Lord at an early age and she was a great prayer warrior.  She had 5 children, one of which she broke the seat in the car while going to the hospital to deliver.  She was always packing her children’s lunch for school, including peanut butter and mayo.  She always said that if she ate peanut butter, she would need something wet with it so it wouldn’t be so dry.  Joyce loved the holidays, especially Christmas and Halloween.  She loved having the kids come to the door with all their smiling faces.  As for her kids, they were given liver and onions for Halloween and had to finish it to go trick-or-treating.  She loved music dearly and was heard singing whenever music was playing.  Her true love was her husband, Lester Young, who she met at a drive-in in Arlington, Virginia.  When he was working, he would call and sing, “I just called to say I love you.”  But her greatest love of all was her Lord and savior Jesus Christ.

Joyce is survived by her children, Lester Young, Jr. (Jane), Mitchell Young, Michele Owens (Tom), Stephen Young (Tracy), Tammie Marshall (Rick), 17 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren, and her siblings Jerry Ballenger, Judy Funkhouser, Peggy Graff, and Sherry Hartung.

She is predeceased by her husband of 54 years, Lester Young, Sr., her brother Thomas Anthony Ballenger, daughter-in-law Kimberly Ann Young, and grandson Caleb Joshua Young.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, October 6 at 1:00pm at the First Baptist Church of Laurel, 15000 First Baptist Lane, Laurel, MD 20707.