Joy "Patricia" Haymond

Waynesville, Joy was born in Wisconsin, and grew up in North Carolina and Florida.  She met Martin Richard Haymond, the love of her life, in West Palm Beach, Florida; and they were married on October 8, 1955.  Thanks to Martin’s career as a pilot for the Navy and later for Pan American World Airways and United Airlines, they spent much of their married life traveling the world.  They made their home in various places around the country before settling down in South Florida and later North Carolina.

First and foremost, Joy had a serving heart, molding her life to assist her husband in his career and volunteer activities.  These included Scouts, the Gideons, the Haywood Community Band, and their churches.  But she was also strong and independent, taking care of home business matters and even traveling internationally without Martin.  She was incredibly adaptive to each situation, living in multiple homes across the country as needed, including RVs, and even housesitting for extended periods.  Joy had to be the world’s best packer and could rearrange to fit anything in a suitcase after others had given up.

Joy was an excellent hostess, ready to welcome any and all into their home at a moment’s notice.  Her gatherings (including her children’s birthday parties) were always as perfect as possible because she was attentive to each person and had a great eye for detail.

With two children in elementary school and expecting a third child, Joy went back to school to become a nurse.  She used her nursing career to continue to serve people through her work in hospitals and through her volunteer work on ambulances, even after having a fourth child.  Other volunteer work included being a cub scout den mother and helping at schools, but especially at her churches.  As a part-time resident of both North Carolina and Florida for many years, she had two church homes, Antioch Baptist Church (NC) and Key Largo Baptist Temple (FL), where she served faithfully alongside Martin.  Her hospitality and service affected lives from all over the world.

In the 1990s, Joy had a vision to leave a legacy that would benefit families and honor her Savior Jesus.  She felt God leading her and Martin to start a Christian family camp that would encourage families to grow closer to each other and to God.  They purchased property in the Jonathan Creek area near the Swag and developed it into Mountain Top Experience Christian family retreat.

Joy’s other activities included being an avid crafter, continually learning new skills and passing them on to the others.  She enjoyed water activities, being an accomplished water skier and fisherwoman.  She didn’t stop with catching the fish - she cleaned them and served them up as the most awesome fish fries ever!

Following the death of her beloved husband in 2008, Joy slowly succumbed to Alzheimer’s Disease.  After many years of suffering from this disease, she passed away at her home in Waynesville into the arms of her Savior Jesus on Monday, June 13, 2022, surrounded by her family.

In addition to Martin, she was predeceased by her parents, Clarence Hubert McInturff and Dorothy T. Kraus; her brother, Patrick McInturff; and her granddaughter, Hannah Joy Bell.  Surviving family include her children: Lee Haymond (Cynthia), Laura Bell, Ben Haymond (Anne), and Holly Turner (Jeff); seven grandchildren: Shannon "Kiva Rose" Hardin, Matthew Bell, Melissa DuBois, Nathan and Justin Haymond, and Lindsey and Nicholas Turner, as well as six great grandchildren: Rhiannon "Inga", Kylie, Liam, Mercury, Penny, and Aelfyn.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 18, 2022 at Antioch Baptist Church with Reverend Steve Taylor officiating.  Burial will follow at Antioch Baptist Church Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. on Saturday at the church.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Mountain Top Experience Christian Retreat online at https://www.mountaintopexperience.info/donate-pay/ or by mail to: Mountain Top Experience, PO Box 656, Lake Junaluska, NC 28745.

The care of Mrs. Haymond has been entrusted to Wells Funeral Home of Waynesville.