Joyce Kathryn Phares, nee Bobbitt, of Cherryville, Missouri passed away Tuesday, June 29, 2021 at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. She was born February 13, 1948 in Steelville to Fred and Addie Stringer Bobbitt. Joyce was united in marriage to Oval Lacy Phares, Jr. on March 16, 1991 in Farmington, Missouri.

Joyce was a member of the New Testament Baptist Church in Sullivan. She served as captain on the church bus for several years. During the years while her children were young, she was a Girl Scout leader. Joyce always enjoyed gardening, crocheting, reading her Bible and playing with the grandkids.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Addie Bobbitt; one daughter, Rachel Phares; two brothers, Marion (Joan) Bobbitt and William Curtis (Jean) Bobbitt; and two sisters, Mary Lou (Tom) LaPlant and Rita Faye (John) Hunter; and two grandchildren Carson and Chevelle.

She is survived by her husband of thirty years, Oval Phares, Jr.; two sons, Christopher Alan (Rebecca) Valley of Sullivan, MO and Joseph Dale Valley of Bourbon, MO; one daughter, Hattie Elizabeth Valley of Columbia, MO; stepsons, Fredrick Franklin Phares of South Carolina, Charles Lee (Brenda Teague) Phares and Ivan Eugene Phares of Sullivan, MO; one stepdaughter, Kimberly Ann (Walter) Speck of Cuba, MO; one brother, Jimmy Bobbitt of Columbia, MO; brother-in-law, Homer (Wilma) Phares of Potosi, MO; sisters-in-law, Norma (Gary) Henson, Barbara (Terry) Davis and Mildred (Garry) Sluder all of Potosi, MO and Lea (Scot) Mathenia of St. James, MO; 8 grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; 7 step-grandchildren; 6 step-great-grandchildren; long time family member Heather Kail; other relatives; and friends.

The Family received friends from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville, MO.

Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, July 7, 2021 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home with Rev. Brian Dixon officiating. Special music of "In His arms I'm not afraid", "Lead me Home", 'Far Side Banks of Jordan" and "Dancing in the Sky" was played.

Committal prayer and interment were in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Steelville, MO.

Honored to be casket bearers were Scot Mathenia, Gary Henson, Robert Adair, Raymond Davis, James Wasson and Gary Sluder.

The Phares Family was served by the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home of Steelville, MO.