Joy Bell Norris Mercer, age 86, of the Colgrade Community in Winn Parish, entered eternity on February 22, 2024 following a brief illness.
Born February 14, 1938 in Sikes, Louisiana to George and Myrtle Norris, Joy Bellwill be lovingly remembered by her family and friends.
Joy Bell married the love of her life, Pen, on August 28, 1953  and was married for 53 years before his passing.
Those who treasured her most affectionately referred to her as "Joe Bell", Momma, and Mamaw. The insurmountable love for her family was evidenced at the weekly Sunday dinners in her home. The routine gatherings were the highlight of her week and anyone was welcome to enjoy her meals.  If you had the opportunity to sit at her table, you were blessed.  In addition to her love of cooking, she enjoyed reading historical books on Winn Parish and cookbooks.  Her favorite past time was talking on the phone  with her beloved friends, Betty, Eunice, Patsy, and Beverly and her special calls from Halie.
Joy Bell retired from the Winn Parish School System in 2001 after committing 33 years of serving students and staff at Winnfield Primary School.  She also worked part time for many years at Vintage Petroleum.
She is preceded in death by her parents, George and Myrtle Norris; her husband Floyd "Pen" Mercer; daughter Penny Sue Mercer; siblings, William "Dobbie" Norris, Gladys Brundrige, Louise Poole, Ann Blanchard, and Cletus Norris;grandchildren Matthew Mercer and Amanda Mercer; and great, great granddaughter Rylee Paige Credeur.
Those left to cherish her memory and continue her legacy include her children:  Jimmy (Sissy) Mercer, Jesse Mercer, Jerry (Terri) Mercer; siblings Inez Taylor and Cathy (John) Lindsey; her grandchildren:   Candy (Ricky) Mercer Polk,  Andy (Kylie) Mercer, Chris (Tapia) Mercer,  Brandi Toms, Lori Mercer, Phillip (Tara) Mercer,  Allen Wayne Mercer, Brandon Armstrong, and Cierra Armstrong; great grandchildren: Paige (Greg) Credeur, Lauren Polk, K.J. (Cherie')Polk, Jennifer (Garret) Dunlap, Morgan and Luke Mercer, Cade Mercer, Payton, Makayla, and Myleigh Mercer, Lauren Broadway, Alexis and Kaylee Vercher, Jacob "Ty"and Kale Toms; great, great grandchildren Mariah, Kenna, Scarlett, and Hartley Polk, Emma, Brooke, and Wyatt Dunlap, and her "Bay Bay", Kennedy Reese Credeur; and a host of nieces and nephews.

Funeral Services will be held at 2:00PM on Sunday, February 25, 2024 in the Southern Funeral Home Chapel with interment to follow in Jones Cemetery of Joyce, Louisiana under the direction of Southern Funeral Homes of Winnfield.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, February 25, 2024 at the funeral home from 12 noon until time of services.

Those honored to serve the family as pallbearers are Andy Mercer, Chris Mercer, Payton Mercer, Phillip Mercer, Luke Mercer, and Ricky Polk. Honorary pallbearers will be Cade Mercer, Greg Credeur, David Arton, Vance Luther, John Lindsey, Bobby Norris and Brandon Armstrong.

Friends may offer online condolences to the family at www.southernfuneralhome.com