Joyce Landry Hughes Burdon

Mrs. Joyce Landry Hughes Burdon, 88, of Morganton, North Carolina, died on Monday, December 14, at 2015, at the Hospice House of Burke Hospice and Palliative Care after a period of declining health. Originally from Hammond, Louisiana, she made her home later in life in Morganton, North Carolina to be near her daughter and family as health concerns made it necessary for Mrs. Burdon to have a primary caregiver.
Born in Tangipahoa Parish on February 23, 1927, Mrs. Burdon was the middle daughter of three daughters born to the late Warren Jerome Landry and the late Elvie Alexander Landry. She was educated in Tangipahoa Parish and graduated from Hammond Senior High School in 1943.
She was married in May 26, 1944 to the late Mr. John Clowes Hughes, of Wilmette, Illinois, whom she met during WWII, when he was stationed in Hammond, Louisiana, as a member of the United States Army Air Corps. Her second husband was the late Mr. Joseph James Burdon, of Springfield, Louisiana.
During the early years of her marriage to Mr. Hughes, they lived in Wilmette, Illinois; Lima, Ohio; and Atlanta, Georgia; all moves made for Mr. Hughes’ rising career in Sales and Management. Although she attended college with a concentration in Accounting, she never completed a degree, choosing instead to be a wife and mother. The Hugheses eventually settled in her hometown of Hammond, Louisiana to raise their young family at the time Mr. Hughes became a Sales Representative in several southern states for Drexel Furniture Company, Drexel, NC. Joyce became a single parent when her children were still quite young, and she worked the rest of her life until retirement age, in bookkeeping and accounting, and also for many years in property management. She could not have raised two children and worked full time as a single parent without the love and support of her parents, and of her two sisters and their families.
The Landry women were all accomplished seamstresses, and Joyce was no exception. She inherited a love of sewing from her mother, and was also was skilled at knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, cross-stitching, and embroidery. Mrs. Burdon utilized many of these arts in making many types of crafts. She spent much of her free time her entire life engaged in one or another of these hobbies, and enjoyed making items to give to family and friends as gifts.
Mrs. Burdon had a peppery and irreverent sense of humor which persisted throughout her life. She loved cooking and collecting and exchanging recipes, and often attended pot-luck suppers and lunches with friends and various gatherings and attended many reunions with her large extended family. She was blessed to have many friends in the Pin Oak Retirement Community, in Hammond, La. One of her favorite activities there was their weekly Friday night UNO card-playing group. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Hammond, Louisiana, when first married, and an active member of Happywoods Church of God in Hammond for most of her early life previous to her marriage, and then again for many years in her older adult life prior to moving to North Carolina. Joyce experienced many challenges and obstacles in her life, but what remained consistent was her pride in, and her intense love for her children and for all members of her immediate family and extended family, and her friends, some of whom were lifelong friends.
When moving to Morganton, NC, in 2001, she was warmly welcomed by the women of First Presbyterian Church, Morganton, North Carolina. She was active in church activities such as the Women’s Sunday School Class and Prime-Timers group, and was involved at the Burke County Senior Center in Morganton in their crocheting and knitting groups for several years. After health challenges prevented her regular attendance in church, many women of this church faithfully included her in Circle and other activities, and continued to stay in touch with her, by calling and visiting, and by sending cards. She was always appreciative of the Presbyterian Women. She was a member of First Presbyterian Church, Morganton, NC at the time of her death.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband, John Clowes Hughes, and by her second husband, Joseph James Burdon, and by her sisters and their husbands, Marie Landry Walker, and husband William Byrd (Bill) Walker; Rita Landry Lukawecki, and husband William Walter (Bill) Lukawecki. In addition, her sister-in-laws, Mary Louise Hughes Brous, and Edith Hughes Davis, and a brother in law, William E. Hughes, Jr. She was also preceded in death by her son, David Allison Hughes.
Mrs. Burdon is survived by a daughter, Laurie Hughes Hopkins, and her husband, Charles Freeman Hopkins, Jr. of Morganton, North Carolina; and two grandchildren, Brianna Justice Hopkins of Morganton, North Carolina, and David Allison Hughes, Jr. of New York, NY. Survivors also include her nieces and nephews, all of whom she dearly loved, Dr. William Warren (Bill)Walker, and wife Dr. Sharon Walker, of Ocean Springs, Mississippi; Charles Grady (Chuck) Walker and wife Sara, of Deep River, Connecticut; Joyce (JoRe) Lukawecki O’Brian, and husband Charles Otis O’Brian, of Hammond, Louisiana; Kathryn (Kathy) Lukawecki Taylor, and husband Edward, of Monroe, Louisiana; and Michael (Micky) Warren Lukawecki and wife Carmella, of Southington, Connecticut; Great nieces and nephews Scott Jared Walker, William Lakin Walker, Jody Walker Smith, and Anne Taylor Walker; Thad Wolfe and Ben Wolfe; Erin O’Brian and Tres O’Brian; Davis Taylor and Beau Taylor; Nikolas Lukawecki, their spouses and many great-great nieces and nephews. She is also survived by a sister-in-law, Mrs. Ninfa (Nancy) Menchaca Hughes of Ft. Worth, Texas, and a special nephew and godson, William E. Hughes, III, MD, and wife Rocio, and their son William Alexander (Willy), of Ft. Worth, Texas; Nieces and nephews Jaime Howard Hughes and wife Janet of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; Susana Hughes del Castillo of Brownsville, Texas; Edith Ann Brous of New York, NY; Melissa Brous, and Lucy Brous of Brunswick, Ga.; Holly Davis, John Davis and William Davis, and their spouses and many great-great nieces and nephews.
Special appreciation is extended from the family to a longtime caregiver, Linda Maynard, who has been helping with Mrs. Burdon’s care from the time she first moved to Morganton, NC, in 2001. Appreciation is also extended to the specific individual nurses and nurse’s assistants at Grace Heights who serve an aged and vulnerable population with care. The entire staff of Burke Hospice and Palliative Care is much appreciated for assisting Mrs. Burdon and her family and caregivers with care and compassion. The family would also like to thank the pastors of First Presbyterian Church, Morganton, NC, including Rev. Michael R. Bailey, Rev. C. Adam Bowling, and Rev. Wyatt Aiken, for their prayers, visits, guidance and support, particularly in the last days of Mrs. Burdon’s life.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 16, 2016, at 2 pm, with the Rev. Daniel G. Landry officiating, in the Chapel of Harry McKneely and Son Funeral Home at 2000 North Morrison Blvd, Hammond, La. The family will receive friends from 1:00pm to 2:00pm, immediately prior to the service. Burial will follow at New Beulah Cemetery, where Mrs. Burdon’s parents are buried, in Hammond, La. Memorial contributions may be made to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, 1721 Enon Road, Valdese, North Carolina, 28690.
Arrangements are in the care of Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center, Morganton, NC and also in the care of Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home, Hammond, La. Online guest books are available at www.sossomanfh.com and www.harrymckneely.com.
Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.