Harrison County Special Needs Teacher, Advocate for Visually Impaired, Joyce M. Gonzalez, Passes
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on July 22, 2021
It is with great sadness that the family of Joyce M. Sodaro Ferguson Gonzalez announces her passing at United Hospital Center on Monday, July 19, 2021, embraced by her family.
She was born March 30, 1938, to Josephine C. Sodaro and George E. (Keiser) Sodaro in Dunbar, WV.
She was a 1958 graduate of the School for the Deaf and Blind in Romney, where she enjoyed diving on the school’s swim team and playing the snare drum for the school band.
Joyce attended Salem University where she completed her graduate degree in Early Childhood Education and worked at the Clarksburg-Harrison Public Library from 1975-1978. During this time she also taught blind and visually-impaired children to read and write Braille.
Joyce loved children and began working with the Harrison County Board of Education as a Special Needs Teacher, which she thoroughly enjoyed. She was an active member of the Harrison County Senior Citizens where she enjoyed socializing and playing bingo, as well as reading and working Sudoku puzzles. Shopping was her passion which she took great pleasure in and always an adventure to be had.
Catholic by faith, she was a member of All Saints Catholic Church. Above all else, family was her greatest joy!
Joyce was preceded in death by her first husband, Lee Franklin Ferguson, of Huntington; and her second husband Victor Gonzalez of Anmoore. United in marriage in December of 1963 to Victor Gonzalez began a loving journey of raising and educating four children. Both having visual acuities and difficulties of their own did not in any way detract from the aspect of life, for it made us stronger as a family. We were not only taught to always be humble and always be kind … but shown by following their actions.
A beloved mother and grandmother, she is survived by her children: Joy L. Ferguson Wildman and her husband Van of Philippi, David L. Ferguson of Buckhannon, Susan D. Gonzalez and her partner Robert L. Starr, II, of Clarksburg and Daniel Gonzalez and his partner Donna G. Rickett of Palatka, FL. Also, four grandchildren: Christopher R. Gonzalez and his partner Samantha R. Hitt of Clarksburg, Sadarah N. Baker and her husband Joshua of Wade, NC, Thomas G. Norton and his partner Susan R. Eades of Wilmington, NC and Nathan R. Gonzalez and his partner Nicole Orth of Houston, TX.
She was preceded in death by a grandson, Noah V. Gonzalez.
Her great-grandchildren, Avery and Jolene Baker of Wade, NC and Layla Gonzalez and step-great-grandson Dominic Hardmand of Clarksburg and Emilia Gonzalez of Houston, TX, complete her family.
Condolences to the Ferguson/Gonzalez Family may be left at burnsidefuneralhome.com.
Friends will be received at Burnside Funeral Home, 607 S. Virginia Avenue, Bridgeport, on Friday, July 23, 2021, from 5-8 p.m., where a Vigil Service will be held at 7:30 p.m. to conclude the visitation.
The Family will meet at All Saints Catholic Church on Saturday, July 24, 2021, for a Mass of Christian Burial to be held at 10 a.m. with Father Walt Jagela as Celebrant.
Interment will follow in Holy Cross Cemetery.
Burnside Funeral Home, Bridgeport
