RUSTON, La. — Funeral services for Joyce Wooldridge, 84, of Ruston, who died Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2013, in Shreveport, will be 2 p.m. Saturday at Owens Funeral Home in Ruston with the Rev. Dr. Andy Johnson officiating.

Burial will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park under the direction of Owens Funeral Home.

Visitation will be 1 p.m. Saturday until time of services at the funeral home.

Mrs. Wooldridge was born in Christiana, Pa., Aug. 30, 1929, the daughter of John Livingston and Julia Baker Ashworth.

She graduated from West Chester Teachers College with a degree in music education. Shortly after an introduction by her brother Dwight to a young Texas serviceman stationed at Walter Reed who could not get home for the Christmas holidays, she began a loving marriage of 36 years. Happily for Ralph and Joyce, work brought them to Ruston in 1955.

Mrs. Wooldridge often said that teaching sixth graders was her niche. She did so at Sul Ross in Waco, Texas, at North Waco School, and at I.A. Lewis for 20 years. She was a member of First Baptist Church, where she played the organ and piano in her younger years and sang and enjoyed the company of the Senior Choir in her later years. She served with RSVP, and was a member of Cosmos Club and Kappa Kappa Iota.

Joyce’s quiet strength, sense of humor, quick wit, and devotion was a constant blessing to her family and friends. She loved Ruston dearly as a perfect hometown, but also longed for adventure every now and then traveling to England and Ireland several times and also to Italy. When at home one of her favorite spots was sitting on her back patio, with a good cup of coffee, watching the birds, squirrels and occasional deer. If not there you could find her in her lazy girl chair enjoying a good book for she was an avid reader.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, John and Julia Ashworth; one brother Dwight Ashworth; one sister Julia A. Reinhart; and her husband Ralph Wooldridge.

Survivors include her brother, Donald Ashworth and wife, Eileen, of Lancaster, Pa.; daughters, Sharon Kay and husband Jerel L. West, Carol Joyce and husband, David A. Bryan, Marty W. and Sean R. Brady; grandchildren Beth Ann West, Laura Elaine West, Erin Bryan Eklund, Joseph Andrew Bryan, Mary Kate Brady and Leah Shannon Brady; one great-granddaughter, Anna Jewel Eklund, and a number of nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society.

Online condolences may be made to www.owensmemorialfuneralhome.com.