Joyce Ann (Needham) Blevins, 79

Published 1:17 pm Monday, November 4, 2024

Joyce Ann (Needham) Blevins, 79, of Sevierville, TN formally of Louisville and Cumberland, KY, passed away peacefully in the early morning of November 1, 2024, after a long period of declining health. She was the daughter of the late Edgar Needham, Sr. and Mary “Frances” (Dalton) Needham and was born in Derby, VA.
Joyce always had a care giver’s heart. She loved caring for the elderly and children and had special love for the disabled. If you needed her, she dropped everything and was there to help in any way she could. She fiercely loved her family and was one proud mother and grandmother. She was affectionately known as “Mamaw” to her 8 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren.
She held many administrative positions over the years working for the Southern Labor Union, Blue Diamond Coal Company, Lynch Independent High School, The Better Business Bureau, WBIR, and Republic Bank. She also owned a lady’s dress shop and loved working at Dollywood. She was a member of the Fountain City Order of the Eastern Star and was of the Baptist faith.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Hobert Needham, Edgar Needham, Jr., and special brother, Henry Calfee. She is survived by her sweetheart and love of her life for nearly 60 years, Allen Blevins of Sevierville; sons, Tommy (Daphne) Blevins of Knoxville, Duke (Brandi) of Sevierville, and special niece who was like a daughter to her, Mary Jo Needham of Lexington, KY.; grandchildren, Rachael Rathe (Jeremiah), Jonathan Blevins (Jena), Lauren Blevins, Cameron Blevins (Alexis), Christian Blevins (Marina), Carter Blevins, Caleb Kelly (Emily), and Sidney Howard (Drew); great-grandchildren, Arianna Rathe, Kinslee Blevins, Elaine Blevins, Krue Blevins, and KaeCee Blevins; and one brother, John Henry Needham, Middletown, OH.
The family will receive friends from 5-7 PM Friday, November 8, 2024, at the Atchley Funeral Home in Sevierville, TN with funeral services to follow at 7 PM officiated by Pastor Brent Freeman. Graveside services will be held on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at 1 PM at the American Legion Cemetery in Big Stone Gap, VA officiated by Pastor Philip Nordstrom. Grandsons will serve as pallbearers.