Joyce F. Vonderaa

Joyce Forrester Vonderaa, 89, of Leesburg, GA died Wednesday, April 2, 2014 at the Willson Hospice House. Funeral services will be held Friday at 11:00 AM at First Baptist Church of Leesburg, Georgia. Rev. Bobby Moye will officiate. Interment will follow at Leesburg Cemetery.

Mrs. Vonderaa was born at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital Albany, GA to the late Jewell and Joe K. Forrester and raised in Leesburg, GA. She graduated from Leesburg High School, Georgia College of Milledgeville and Oral Hygiene School at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA. Mrs. Vonderaa was preceded in death by her husbands, Paul DeVivo, A. F. Clark, and William Roy Black, grandsons, Michael Palmer and Ryan Palmer, a brother Joel K. Forrester and his wife, Christine, a nephew, Spook Forrester and a niece, Kay Young.

She worked as a Dental Hygienist at the Columbus Health Department in Columbus, GA and taught Home Economics in Leesburg, GA and retired from Leesburg Junior High School in Leesburg, FL.

Mrs. Vonderaa was a member of First Baptist Church in Leesburg, GA where she was a Prayer Warrior, a member of the Senior Adult Bible Study and a former member of the Thelma Klagler Mission Society. In 2004 she started The Sweet and Sassy Red Hat Club and served as the Queen Mother. Mrs. Vonderaa was also a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Survivors include her husband R. P. Vonderaa, of Leesburg, GA, a son, Paul DeVivo and his wife, Paula of Wilmington Island, GA, three daughters, Donna Jewell and her husband, Tommy of Leesburg, GA, Debbie DeVivo of Buford, GA and Lisa Palmer of Albany, GA, a sister, Elizabeth Young of Leesburg, GA, six grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

The family will receive friends one hour before the service at First Baptist Church of Leesburg.

The family will be at the residence of Donna and Tommy Jewell, 139 Pineridge Dr., Leesburg, GA, 31763.

Those desiring may make contributions to the First Baptist Church of Leesburg Building Fund, 135 Main Street, Leesburg, GA, 31763 or to Willson Hospice House, 320 Foundation Lane, Albany, GA, 31707.