Joyce Staples Suthard

Joyce Staples Suthard, 96, of Rustburg, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 30, 2025.

Born on May 22, 1928, in Lynchburg, Virginia, she was the daughter of the late Claude M. Staples and Nellie H. Staples. She was also preceded in death by her husband, Lewis C. Suthard.

Joyce was a woman of warmth, humor, and strength. She found joy in life’s simple pleasures, curling up with a good book, following the lives and drama of the soap opera General Hospital, and most of all, preparing delicious meals that brought her family together around the table. Known for her feisty spirit and to-the-point honesty, she was deeply loved by all who knew her. Her sense of humor, nurturing heart, and unwavering dedication to her family made her a truly remarkable mother, sister, and friend.

She is survived by her loving children, Kathy Lipscomb and her husband Chesleigh, and Ricky Suthard and his wife Toni; her brother, Billy Staples and his wife Geri; sisters-in-law, Helen Suthard and Peggy Knight; and a special nephew, Brian Staples and his wife Debbie. Her memory will live on in their hearts and in the stories shared around future family meals.

A graveside service to honor Joyce’s life will be held on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Fort Hill Memorial Park with Pastor Carlton Duck officiating.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made in Joyce’s honor to the American Heart Association (www.heart.org) or the American Cancer Society (www.donate.cancer.org), causes close to their hearts.