Joyce Marie Booker Turk was born on January 12, 1947, in the Mount Union Community to the late A. G. Booker, Sr., and Katie Ella Holmes Booker, with her siblings, Mercury, Betty Jean, Jeon, Juanita, Wesley, A. G. Jr., Audrey, Kathleen, Willie, and Jefferson.

Joyce attended the Walnut Hill School and, following consolidation, she would attend and graduate from West Kirbyville High School in the Class of 1966. She participated in various activities, including choir, home economics, and interscholastic competitions, and exhibited her love for basketball.

Joyce confessed her faith at an early age and was baptized by the late Reverend B. M. Kennebrew into the Spring Hill Baptist Church family. No matter where life took her, she loved her church dearly and served faithfully until her passing. She was active in the choir, Sunday school, mission society, church treasury, announcement clerk, vacation Bible school, cafeteria board, usher board, cemetery association, and trustee. As a pillar of her community, she played an active role in various local activities, which included the MLK Foundation, Love Fellowship/Love United Community Choir, Walnut Hill School Association, and area softball leagues. Joyce enjoyed reading, fishing, playing cards and dominoes, and entertaining family and friends. Although active in her church and community, Joyce found time to work full-time outside her home. She began her career working in private homes, then she went on to work for Ralston Purina in Jasper, then to Kirbyville Elementary, and retired from Mead Westvaco.

Joyce's home was the center for family gatherings, and everyone was welcome. She reared her collection of children, the foundation of which was Ella and Steve. As the seasons of her life changed, she added to her collection Keith, LaShun, and Troy. Becoming "Nana" was the highlight of her life, and if you ever passed through her doors, she became your nana as well. Her door was always open — her kitchen with a good meal and her heart full of love. In 2003, she married Godwin Turk, and her collection continued to grow with Yohance and Kennedy.