Mary Joyce Mann, born August 13, 1912, was the 15th child born to Lindsay Sanders and the 5th child for Mattie Irene. She joined the loving family on Pegram Hill in the Cokesbury Community of Harnett County. She shared the garden chores, sugar caning, corn chopping, wash days and, of course, Sunday church and visiting. The family had a dog named Shep who protected them from all danger. I'm told Shep took care of many snakes. Mary Joyce and her siblings also enjoyed riding Bob & Kate, their mules.
Mary Joyce attended Buckhorn Elementary School and Lafayette High School. There she played on the basketball team. There were many adventurous bus rides from the Cokesbury Community to Lafayette. Brother Buck drove the bus up and down those long hills, sometimes without brakes.
Life was busy and happy until the family lost Mattie Irene to cancer. Sister Fannie Reid took care of her until she passed. Reid married Len H. Aiken a few months later which left Mary Joyce and Sadie to help father Lindsay to run the home place. When things became too difficult to continue there, Lindsay moved in with Benona and Mary Joyce and Sadie moved in with sister Sallie.They also lived with Reid, then Beulah and then Buck as they finished business school. After finishing school, Mary Joyce went to work with Proctor-Barbour Tractor Company and lived with Fannie Reid. Sadie lived with brother Buck until she finished business school in Greensboro.
Mary Joyce met a farmer named Willie Gray Farabow and they married on September 1, 1935. They moved to Durham where Willie Gray drove trucks for the a tobacco company. Their first child, James Lambert, was born there on August 18, 1936. They returned to Fuquay Springs and built a home there in 1938. Willie Gray began work on the tobacco market with Talley Brothers Warehouse, also in Fuquay Springs. There, Robert Wesley Farabow, their 2nd child, was born on May 28, 1940. Sister Sadie came to live with them until she married John Wesley Smith in 1943. Mary Joyce and Willie Gray's 3rd child, Jeanne Everonde Farabow, was born there on June 2, 1944.
Mary Joyce combined homemaking with secretarial work for Stephens Supply Company. The family farmed tobacco, grew vegetable gardens and visited cousins, aunts and uncles whenever possible. There were family reunions, vacation trips to the beach, Florida and the mountains, as well as trips to Greensboro (Buck) and Cypress Chapel (Gaither) to visit relatives.
Willie Gray passed away November 15, 1983. Mary Joyce maintained the home with Bob remaining in the home until his death, December 18, 1995. Daughter Jeanne returned to Fuquay-Varina and took care of Mary Joyce until she died.
Mary Joyce enjoyed many of her church activities at the Fuquay Springs Methodist Church. She also was a member of The Eastern Star and Women's Professional Club. She was known for her excellent fried chicken, banana pudding, homemade ice cream and pound cakes. She, Sadie and Buck also played the harmonica.
Life was full for Mary Joyce. She loved her church, family, relatives and friends. If there was a need, she was there. She passed away from a lengthy illness on January 13, 2004. She was the last living child of Lindsay Mann.