Promoted to Glory: Major Joyce Michels

Major Joyce Michels was Promoted to Glory Oct. 12, 2020, in Charlotte, North Carolina, surrounded by her family. The funeral service was held Oct. 17 at the Charlotte Temple Corps. Major Brian Gilliam brought the message.

Joyce Dial was born Jan. 12, 1943, in Hurricane, West Virginia, and accepted Jesus as her Savior when she was a young girl. She married Oliver Michels Dec. 21, 1961. She became a soldier in Arlington, Virginia, in July 1964 and entered training in 1966. She and Oliver were commissioned with the Messengers of Faith in 1968. They served for most of their careers in the Maryland-West Virginia Division.

Their first appointment was as assistant corps officers in Cumberland, Maryland, and they served as corps officers in Grafton, Wellsburg, Morgantown, Weirton and Huntington, West Virginia, and Hagerstown, Maryland. They were on the staff at Maryland-West Virginia DHQ before being appointed to Alexandria and Waynesboro, Virginia, in the National Capital-Virginia Division. They returned to MWV as the corps officers at Baltimore, Maryland, Hampden Corps and the Charleston, West Virginia, Citadel before serving again at MWV DHQ. Majors Oliver and Joyce Michels retired from active service Feb. 1, 2009.

She is survived by daughters Lenore (Matt) Bamberger and Major Linda Sloan, son Captain Oliver "Mike" (Cathy) Michels, brothers Harold (Tina) and Paul (Daphine) Dial, sisters Suzette Chase and Pam (Joe) Brush and six grandchildren.