Eulogy, Mrs. Joyce Knight By Sylvia Yvonne Forbes Roberts, Sister In Honor of the Life of Joyce May Lynquee Knight Joyce (Aunt Joyce, Sister Missis, Mrs. Knight) began her life’s journey September 17, 1926 in Jamaica, West Indies. Her life ended peacefully at Heartlands Care Home, Yardley on September 9, 2014. She is the daughter of Doris Mamdeen (Miss Doris) and Joyce was married to Levi Knight, also deceased, for over 60 years. Mrs. Knight attended high school at St. Simon’s College in Kingston, Jamaica. Following in her mother’s footsteps, she became a shopkeeper. Joyce and Levi came to Nottingham, England in 1951 and Joyce worked in a factory. She recognized the needs of new Jamaican immigrants and provided food and shelter to many. At times she was awakened by a knock on her door by someone looking for a place to stay. No one was turned away, even those she did not know. She was also like a social worker, showing new immigrants how to sign up for medical care and social services. Her mom (Miss Doris), and her brother Kenrick joined her from Jamaica in 1955. Mrs. Knight’s first business venture was a cafe on Soho Road, Handsworth. She ran an off-license and grocery store on Thornhill Road. She also ran the Monty Carlo Club. Later on she purchased the fish shop on Soho Road. The cafe closed and for a period of time she operated three businesses. Although she had an almost impossible working schedule, she never complained. Her businesses were her life. Many of you have known Mrs. Knight for years. You know she had a mind of her own and she was not afraid to tell you how she felt and what she thought. This was not always done with finesse but she never held a grudge. Some of you worked with her at the Monty and helped her a lot. Some of you were helped and blessed by her kindness and generosity. I must digress and say a special thank you to a very special cousin Dolly. Dolly’s kindness and care of Joyce is over and above what most cousins do for each other. She kept Mrs. Knight’s flat clean and when it was sometimes too much for her, Linda Meddings, a neighbour of Mrs. Knight’s was there to help. Dolly did her banking. She made sure her bills were paid on time. She cooked her meals, did her laundry and made sure she was clean in between caregiver’s visits. She was also called each time Joyce had a health problem. Linda and Dolly visited her faithfully when she was at Heartlands Care Home. On the day Joyce died Linda and Dolly played her favourite music, held her hand and talked to her. Our thanks to each of you who enriched Joyce’s life whether as a friend, a customer, an adviser, a family member or a healthcare provider, to all – thank you for your love and support. A special thank you also to the staff on Dovecote at Heartlands Care Home who took care of Joyce during the last months of her life. You put up with her commentaries and her “nosiness.” The mention to Joyce about her being nosy was rebutted by her usual frankness, “is not mi nose mi a use, mi use mi eyes.” Joyce will be remembered as a woman who did the best she could with the gifts God gave her: be aware, use your eyes, and remember God has a plan to bless you. He wants to bless you with hope. He wants to bless you with peace. He wants to bless you with joy. He wants to bless you with love and the blessing of his promise to be with us always. Let us remember Joyce with a sense of thankfulness and praise to God for having known her. Thank you for coming. God bless you.