Joyce Marilyn Allen

Joyce Marilyn Scott Allen was born to the Union of Mary Roulhac and Joseph Scott on November 5, 1937 in St. Augustine, Florida. Joyce, her mother and brother Joe relocated to Detroit, Michigan when she was a young child. Joyce was joined in holy matrimony to Adolphus Thomas Allen in 1966. One child, Adolphus Thomas Allen Jr. was born to their union.

Joyce attended Detroit Public Schools and continued her education at Wayne State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in English. She later earned a master’s degree in Social Work from WSU. Joyce’s giving nature epitomized her legacy as a Delta Sigma Theta Soror. Joyce began her career in Social Work at the Wayne County Bureau of Social Aid (Department of Human Services). With her master’s degree, she accepted a position as a Faculty Member at WSU in the school of Social Work. In 1983, she went to work for the Red Cross where she worked for many years helping families who suffered catastrophic losses from natural disasters. She headed a unit with the Red Cross until her retirement in 2007.

Joyce was a faithful member of New Faith Baptist International Church in Matteson, IL where she proudly served as a Deacon and generous contributor. Joyce returned to Detroit in 2018 to be closer to the family she so dearly loved. She is preceded in death by her dear son, Little Al, her parents, and her younger siblings who affectionately called her Birdie: Joseph Scott Jr., Shirley Walls and Johnella Frazier. She leaves a host of nieces, nephews and friends and extended family to rejoice in memories of happy times spent with dear Joyce.