Joyce Godwin

Joyce Godwin didn't hesitate to take on whatever challenge God set before her, and her strategy was hard work, planning and people.

The only child of Bradley H. Killian and Viola E. Killian, she was born in Washington DC in 1943. She began working at age seven to help support the family by selling greeting cards door to door. In 1952, the Killians moved to Miami, Florida and at age thirteen Joyce obtained a waiver allowing her to be employed at the local veterans' hospital doing clerical work.

Throughout her teen years, she spent summers working days at the hospital and various other jobs at night, so that during the school year she would only need to have one job. By carefully saving her earnings, she was able to pay for tuition and expenses at Florida State University (FSU) and become the first in her family to graduate from either high school or college.

She enrolled at FSU in 1961, where she earned a bachelor's degree in government and was elected the first female vice president of the student body. During this time, FSU admitted its first black student and Joyce befriended him and helped him make connections - setting a pattern for a lifetime of helping those around her and connecting them with others who would encourage them.

After college, she went on to earn a master's degree in political science and public administration at The George Washington University in Washington DC. It was there she met a medical student, Earl Godwin, and they became engaged in 1966 at the top of the Washington Memorial. Married in 1967, they moved first to California and then to Corpus Christi, TX, where Earl served as a Navy doctor.

In 1973, both Earl and Joyce began working at Presbyterian Healthcare Services in Albuquerque, NM, Earl as an anesthesiologist and Joyce starting as the Director of Education. In the course of interviewing staff members about the educational needs of

employees, Joyce met Marion Kellogg Van Devanter, or "Mrs. Van" as she was known to employees. Joyce had heard of her reputation as 'the heart and soul of the health system.'

"You're the one I've been waiting for," were Mrs. Van's first words when Joyce visited her at her little house near the Presbyterian campus. At that time, Joyce was still early in her own spiritual development, but was drawn to the older woman who would become a dear friend and mentor.

About this time, Joyce and Earl also joined Heights Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and grew in their understanding of the Christian faith and the Bible, while making lifelong friends. Larry Moss, the pastor at that time, taught in a way that challenged them to think logically about the knottier issues of faith.

Over the next twenty years, Joyce rose in the ranks at Presbyterian Healthcare Services, and also grew in reputation and service to the community. At Presbyterian, she worked her way up to the role of Chief Administrative Officer, all while quietly mentoring employees, board members and peers throughout the organization.

In Albuquerque, she was the first woman ever to chair the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce and the first to lead the community-wide United Way Campaign. She was thrust into a difficult position when asked to serve on the board of the Public Service Company of NM. A special litigation committee had been charged with investigating the other members of the board. As someone who had not been involved in the actions under scrutiny, Joyce was the only board member and only woman to serve on that committee. She leaned on scripture to help her navigate the difficult decisions to be made and called on friends to pray for her strength and courage.

National organizations took note of her expertise and grace under fire, and during her career she chaired the boards of Air Serv International, Mission Aviation Fellowship, International Students, Inc, and the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA), as well as serving on the boards for World Vision - US, World Vision International, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. At one time she served on nine boards simultaneously.

Though it wasn't what she had set out to do, she broke gender barriers and inspired other women to step out in leadership roles. "These organizations weren't looking for a woman," she said, "but rather someone with wisdom and expertise. That's what I aspired to be."

To the consternation of her colleagues, but with Earl's full support, Joyce decided to retire from Presbyterian Healthcare Services in 1993 at the height of her career. This decision allowed her to travel more and become even more active with the mission organizations she helped to lead. Over the course of their lives, she and Earl traveled to over eighty-three countries on every continent, including Antarctica, often combining mission service and vacation. Those who knew her, knew she and Earl loved animals and many of their vacations centered around wildlife adventure travel. Joyce climbed Kilimanjaro and the Mexican volcanos. At home, they cared for turtles, salamanders, stray cats and their beloved rosy boas and boa constrictors.

All her life, Joyce poured herself into other people's lives, giving her time, her wisdom and guidance, and her money. When asked what her primary calling from God was, she responded, "mentoring and encouraging people." She believed in providing opportunities for those who didn't have the resources and helped many individuals with tuition, travel expenses, living expenses, whatever was needed.

When she learned of the diagnosis that would end her life, Joyce couldn't help but react in the way God had designed her: clear-eyed and trusting Him, she planned and she gave to others. Like previous challenges in her life, she faced this one with matter-of-fact determination and humor. Asked to provide a summary of herself, she once wrote, "a lover of dogs, flowers, friends, elephants, reptiles, giraffes, Earl and the Lord."

A Celebration of Life will be held at 10am on Saturday, November 22, 2025, at Heights Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 8600 Academy Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111-1107. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to World Vision (worldvision.org) or CURE, International (cure.org).