Joyce Hill Sanders Vasser was the daughter of Mary Pritchard and Julian Boddie. She was born on May 14, 1946. She was raised in the loving family of Edward and Harriette Hill. In this loving home, Joyce was raised as a sister to June Morrow and Frank Hanson. Their childhood upbringing was nourished and cultivated on the family farm in Baldwin County. Her devoted parents and adored siblings preceded her in death.  Joyce graduated valedictorian in 1963 at J.F. Boddie High School. She was named Ms. Boddie High that year. Joyce was the first black person to enroll into Georgia College. In 1967, she graduated from Talladega College in Alabama with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Biology. During the summer after her freshman year, at the direction of her activist father, she desegregated the Women's College of Georgia, which later became Georgia College in Milledgeville, Georgia. This stance served as an integral display of her conviction and desire to serve as a change agent. It’s quite evident that Joyce was an enthusiast for knowledge who loved to read. She was intrigued with natural herbal remedies and personal development. Likewise, Joyce was an intellectually gifted scholar who later found herself at the center of civil rights activism.

She was groomed at a young age to be a contributor to local academic excellence to include oratorical contests and science competitions. These achievements carried over into college as she became an exchange student at Yale University, joined Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Additionally, she also became a National Science Fellow at Fordham University, Who's Who Among Colleges and Universities; as well as a Catherine Waddel Fellow at Wellesley College in Biology. Joyce epitomized the true meaning of a Delta Woman through her many acts of kindness and service to mankind. She was active in the Douglasville Alumnae Chapter.  As she continued to excel in her career, she became a National Teaching Fellow and Counselor Educator at Fort Valley State College. She also maintained a 30-year tenure as a civil servant in the Federal government in metropolitan Washington, DC and the Southern Region. After a fruitful and substantial career, she retired from the Federal Aviation Administration in College Park, Georgia.

She started her spiritual development at Trinity CME Church, which was built by her grandfather, John Pritchard, Sr. and County Line Baptist Church on Highway 49, both in Milledgeville, GA. Joyce was also a devout Christian who was an active member at Cascade United Methodist Church. She served on the Staff, Parish, Relations Committee, (SPRC) worked closely with the pastor and staff concerning their relationship with the congregation and entire work of the church. Her commitments also included The Chancel Choir.  Joyce served as a class facilitator for both: Believers Sunday School Class and VEGAS Women Fall Bible Study.

Furthermore, Joyce was a member of Bible Study Fellowship International, a global Bible study group. Her zeal for learning God’s Word was a testament to her kind soul and spiritual development. In addition to being a voracious reader, she enjoyed traveling the world extensively. A few of her travels included Greece, The Holy Land, Switzerland, Aruba, and recently, the Caribbean. She enjoyed shopping and playing in casinos.

Joyce leaves to mourn her high school sweetheart, her soul mate, her beloved husband, Willie E. Vasser, College Park, GA, whom she affectionately called, “Butchie”; four brothers-in-law & four sisters-in-law, Rev. David Vasser (Katie), Houston, TX, Alfred Vasser (Valeria), Bonaire, GA, Richard Vasser (Carmelia), Ellenwood, GA, Cynthia Vasser (Ralph), Mableton, GA; nephews, Steve Morrow (Anne), Haddock, GA, William Hanson (Casey), Rancho Palos Verdes, CA, Mark Hanson (Autumn), Atlanta, GA; niece, Kathy Edwards (John), Albany, GA and a host of other beloved nieces and nephews, great nieces, great nephews, cousins, friends, and devoted caregivers; special friends: Betty Clarke, Rochelle Culver, Marilyn Hatcher-Daniels, Shirley Morman, Ruby White-Redd.