Joyce L. Brown-Coles

Joyce Lynn Brown-Coles was born on October 15, 1952, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the youngest of nine children born to Ernest W. Brown Sr. and Mary Elizabeth (Grant) Brown.  Joyce was educated in the Philadelphia School System, and a proud graduate of Murrell Dobbins Vocational-Technical High School, where she first fell in love with the sound and feel of a typewriter. Joyce later pursued higher education, receiving an Associate’s Degree from Pierce College, majoring in Medical Practice Management.

During her youth, Joyce lived in many places with her family, experiencing tons of adventures along the way.  Joyce loved telling stories from her childhood, including how much she admired her older siblings. Amongst the many stories, one of her favorites was how she sat on the steps, waiting for her older sister ‘Dot’ to come home with a bag of potato chips.  She would tell you in a heartbeat how she loved to dance and polish her fingernails.  During her teen years, she enjoyed activities with her closest friends from Ingersoll Street, creating their own social club ‘Les Petite Femmes’. Many of the friends she made during her childhood remained lifelong friends. If you knew her, you knew how much she valued family and relationships.  Joyce was the dedicated primary caregiver for her mother, working tirelessly to ensure the best care throughout her later years.  The legacy of family closeness modelled by her parents sparked the inspiration for Joyce and her siblings to create the Browns 4+5 family club.  This also included other much-beloved family members and close cousins. Together they organized a variety of family gatherings including picnics, game nights and card parties.

Joyce devoted her young adult life to raising her two children, Mark and Cynthia, who were the apples of her eye.  Joyce instilled strong values in her children, of sacrifice, compassion, hard-work, dedication, and most of all LOVE for God and people.  Joyce had the pleasure of walking alongside her children into adulthood, continuing her legacy, as they created families of their own. Her ultimate joy was the quality time she spent with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 

Joyce began her professional work at Temple University, before starting a long career with the U.S. Federal Government.  She worked at the General Services Administration (GSA-Motorpool), then transitioned to the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard (PNSY), where she fulfilled her proudest work assignment as a Machinist Apprentice.  Joyce was excited to wear a hard-hat and steel-toed boots, and to share how she worked in “the Shop”, where she learned to make parts for huge military ships. From this role, Joyce moved into the payroll department, where her strong work ethic, math and people skills resulted in her quickly being promoted to Payroll Supervisor, and later Budget Analyst.  Joyce celebrated her retirement from 36 years of dedicated service to the U.S. Federal Government in 2008.

In 1984, while working at PNSY, Joyce met Vincent (Vince) Coles, who started out as her self-selected apprenticeship mentor.  Whenever she needed help with a task, she would visit the ‘Tool Crib’ for Vince only.  Joyce and Vince shared a five-year friendship, before realizing a deeper heart connection.  Joyce and Vince dated for 17 years, before joining in holy matrimony in 2006, and created a beautiful blended family, including children Mark, Cynthia and Rhonda.

Joyce was raised in a Christian home and dedicated her life to the Lord at a young age, being baptized with her sisters at Zion Baptist Church.  As a child, Joyce attended Zion under the leadership of the late Rev. Leon Sullivan.  She, with her mother and children, joined her brother Milton at her beloved New Covenant Presbyterian Church.  Joyce was a member of New Covenant, and served in many roles, including Deacon, Treasurer, Women’s ministry and choir member.  She served New Covenant faithfully for more than three decades, until they officially closed their doors. Joyce joined her daughter at Greater Faith Missionary Baptist Church, where she also participated in several ministries, including Beautification, Ten Soldiers, Sunday School and New Members class.  She loved and served her dear Greater Faith M.B.C. until her passing.

Joyce enjoyed family gatherings and vacations, including road trips to destinations such as the Pocono Mountains, Williamsburg, VA, Myrtle Beach, SC and New Orleans, LA.   She especially loved visiting Orlando, FL because she was joined by so many members of her extended family.  Joyce was not only the family connector, but also confidant, encourager and friend. Joyce adored her family, and she was especially close to her beloved older sister and best friend, Kathleen, with whom she enjoyed traveling, trips to the casino, shopping or just hanging out with the ‘grands’.  She loved Motown and gospel music, playing board games and Pinochle, attending stage plays and comedy shows.  Joyce also treasured her prayer meetings and Bible studies with her church family.  Joyce was known for having the kind of face that would often invite conversations from complete strangers, and compassion and encouragement for everyone who entered her presence. 

Joyce battled many health challenges throughout the years, and she faced every illness head-on.  She was as tough as nails, and would often tell you, “I’m explaining, not complaining.”  She held tightly to her faith, and was known to keep herself and others in high spirits.  After fighting a good, long fight, Joyce was called home to her Savior on Wednesday, March 29, 2023, surrounded by family that she loved so dearly.  Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Ernest and Mary Brown, her brothers, James and Milton, her sisters Dorothy (Nelson) and Gloria (Dixon-Jones).  Joyce leaves to mourn her passing her husband, Vincent Coles, her children Mark (Regina), Cynthia (Jermaine), Rhonda (Saalim), eight grandchildren, Gia Moore, Chanel Brown, Jalin Lewis, Christopher Holland III, Joshua Lewis, Malachi Holland, Jibri Lewis and Jeremiah Richards, four great-grandchildren, Jailon Brown, Aiden Manning, Sariyah Grant and Sanari Grant.  She also leaves to mourn her, brothers Ernest W. Brown II (Velma), Leonard Brown (Loretta), Michael Brown (Arlene), and sister Kathleen Wilkinson, along with a host of beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, colleagues and friends, including special sister-friends Ruby ‘Patsy’ Ziegler, and Sheila Coleman.

Lovingly submitted,

The Family

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joyce L. Brown-Coles, please visit our floral store.