Reverend Joyce Whetstone (STH ’89)

This obituary was originally posted by Harrell Funeral Home and can be found here.

Reverend Joyce Marie (Nunn) Whetstone, 79, of St. Kolbe Drive, Holyoke, MA, departed this life on Monday, June 6, 2022, at East Longmeadow Skilled Nursing Home in East Longmeadow, MA.  Born in Birmingham, AL, she was a daughter of Willie Nunn Sr. and Ziphia (Hall) Nunn.

Reverend Whetstone had been active as a United Methodist minister in the New England area for over thirty years, serving as Pastor or Interim Pastor at Wesley United Methodist Church in Springfield, MA, Arlington Heights United Methodist Church in Arlington, MA, Hatian Community United Methodist Church in Mattapan, MA, St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in New Bedford, MA, Burnside (New Covenant) United Methodist Church in East Hartford, CT, Greenwood United Methodist Church in Dorchester, MA, and most recently, Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church in East Hartford, CT.  She was a member of the Pastors Council of Greater Springfield and the Black Pastors Council of the United Methodist Church and was the 2007 recipient of the Wilbur C. Ziegler Award.  She also traveled extensively, to Haiti, Africa, Jerusalem, Germany, London, and France.

Pre-deceased by her parents, and brother Emmitt, Reverend Whetstone is survived by three children, Silesia Dana (Whetstone) McKenzie and Keith Brian Whetstone, both of Springfield and Kevin James Whetstone of Haverill, MA;  two brothers, Willie Otis Nunn Jr. and Ronnie Ray Nunn, both of Atlanta, GA;  a sister, Celestine Lucille Lyles of Springfield;  eight grandchildren;  seven great-grandchildren;  and a host of other relatives and friends.