Memorials › Joyce Elaine Nelson Rolston
Joyce Elaine Nelson Rolston
15 Jul 1927 – 18 Sep 2008
| Birth | 15 Jul 1927 |
| Death | 18 Sep 2008 |
| Cemetery | Greenoaks Memorial Park Baton Rouge , East Baton Rouge Parish , Louisiana , USA |
| Added by | skatoolaki on 29 Dec 2012 |
| FaG | https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38304724 |
Gravesite details
shares plot w/Lawrence H. Rolston.
Bio
Joyce Elaine Nelson was born July 15, 1927 in Doyle, Livingston Parish, Louisiana, the youngest of three children and only daughter born to John Sylvester Nelson and Florance Mae Corvers. The city of Doyle, Louisiana, where Joyce was born, was later renamed, becoming the city of Livingston. Joyce grew up in a political family. Although the family's political leanings where towards the Republican Party, Louisiana was a Democrat state at that time and any success in the political arena required one to be registered as a Democrat. Her father's musical interests, automobile businesses and political ambitions were significant influences in Joyce's life. In 1937 at the age of ten, Joyce served as a page in the Louisiana House of Representatives. She worked as a page over the next four years. The following three years she worked as a proofreader on bills to be submitted to the House of Representatives. In 1944, having graduated with honors from University High, LSU's lab school, Joyce put aside her work at the capital to attend Louisiana State University. Her college education was interrupted in 1949 when she relocated to Plaquemine, Louisiana, to help her father establish two new automobile dealerships, one in Plaquemine and the other in New Roads. She served as the office manager and accountant for these two dealerships. In the 1950's Joyce opened and operated a dance studio. She was a certified member of the Chicago National Association of Dance Masters. Her studio taught classical dance such as ballet, toe, tap, acrobatics, ballroom and folk dancing. She volunteered her choreography talents to the local high school dance teams during the 50's and into the 60's. Joyce continued to support her father in his political Career. In 1956 after her father's successful bid as a Louisiana State Senator, representing Iberville, Pointe Coupee and West Baton Rouge Parishes, Joyce became his administrative assistant in conjunction with her duties as office manager and accountant for his automobile dealerships. Joyce proved to be a invaluable political asset to her father throughout his career. Potentially embarrassing for a politician, her father had difficulties putting names to faces. Joyce was naturally talented at associating peoples' faces to their names and was able to recognize individuals as they approached and would discretely prompt her father with the appropriate name. In the late 50's, adding to her already busy schedule, Joyce returned to her college studies, taking night courses at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. In 1967 Joyce received a Bachelors of Science in physical geography (geomorphology) and began working on her Master's degree. During her father's political career, Joyce had the opportunity to personally work with the colorful Governor Earl K. Long whom she affectionately called "Uncle Earl." In 1968 her position as administrative assistant to her father, Senator John S. Nelson, would come to a close as her father's poor health ended his political career. In 1969 Joyce completed her Masters in library and information science. This led to her being appointed to a faculty position as Map Curator in the School of Geoscience Map Library. She remained at this post until her retirement in 1994. On August 7, 1987 Joyce married Dr. Lawrence Hubert Rolston with whom she had been living with since 1978. The couple lived in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but chose to be discretely wed in Florida. Prior to her retirement, Joyce and Anne G. Stanton were working on a book of historical maps of Louisiana. Finally published in 1999, a number of years after her retirement, Joyce and Anne G. Stanton co-authored the book, "Historical Maps of Louisiana: an Annotated Bibliography." The book was published by Geoscience Publications, Department of Geography and Anthropology, LSU. Another literary asset is Joyce's short biography of her husband, Lawrence. This paper was a part the Contributions in honor of Lawrence Hubert Rolston submitted to the New York Entomology Society and published in 1995. (New York Entomology Society, 103(4):345-349) In 2005 Joyce suffered a stroke from which she was recovering from when she fell and broke her hip. She never fully recovered, and in her later years she struggled with diabetes. She died September 18, 2008 at the age of 81 and was buried in the Greenoaks Memorial Park in Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. She was preceded in death by her parents and her two brothers. The Advocate, Thursday, September 25, 2008, page 34A: Rolston, Joyce Nelson Joyce Nelson Rolston, 81, retired curator of the LSU Geology Department Map Library, died Thursday, Sept. 18, 2008, following a lengthy illness. She was preceded in death by her father, Sen. John S. Nelson; mother, Florence Corvers Nelson; and brothers, John E. Nelson and Zane O. Nelson Sr. Joyce is survived by her husband of 21 years, Lawrence Hubert Rolston, Ph.D.; nephews, Zane O. Nelson Jr., Michael Nelson, Van Nelson and John C. Nelson; and stepchildren, David Rolston, Clyde Rolston, Carla Rolston Hebert and Gordon Rolston. In accordance with Joyce's wishes, a private graveside service will be held at Greenoaks Memorial Park.
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