Joyce Evelyn Donaldson

Joyce Evelyn Jarrell Donaldson, age 93, passed away peacefully.

Born on June 20, 1932, in McMinnville, Tennessee, Joyce lived a long and meaningful life rooted in faith, family, and service to others. She was the daughter of the late James Dewey Jarrell and Daisy Emma Haston Jarrell and was also preceded in death by her three brothers, James Jarrell, Charles Jarrell, and Jere Jarrell.

Joyce was first married to Paul Adam Litteral, with whom she shared 45 years of marriage until his passing in 1998. Together they had one son, Paul Adam Litteral Jr.

She later married Arthur Preston Donaldson, and they shared 11 years together before his passing in 2011. Through this marriage, Joyce was blessed with a large extended family and was a stepmother to seven children.

Joyce was a woman of many interests and talents. She was proud to have been named class poet at Red Bank High School. She also had a fondness for collecting blue glass and found joy in the beauty of simple things. She was an active member of the Stewart County Senior Citizens and cherished the friendships she built there.

Her faith was an important part of her life. She attended Dover Church of Christ and was known for her kind and gentle spirit. She also played a meaningful role in helping establish the clothing drive at Bruceton Church of Christ, always looking for ways to serve and support others in her community.

Joyce had a strong work ethic and spent time working in Washington, D.C. as an accountant for the Navy Department and the Bureau, where her love for numbers and attention to detail served her well.

She will be remembered for her kind heart, her love of family, her servant’s spirit, and the quiet but lasting impact she made on those around her.

Visitation: will begin on Thursday, April 16, 2026 from 4 – 8 PM, and will continue on Friday, April 17, 2026 from 9:00 AM – until time of service at Spann Funeral Home.

Funeral Service: will begin at 11:00 AM on Friday, April 17, 2026 from the Chapel of Spann Funeral Home.

Interment: will follow at Adcock Cemetery

Survived by:

Son: 

Paul Adam Litteral Jr. (Diana) of Dover, TN

1 Granddaughter

2 Great-Grandchildren

Step-Children: 

Arthur Preston Donaldson Jr. (Darlene) of Bon Aqua, TN 

Kevin Donaldson (Celesta) of McEwen, TN 

Jimmy Wayne Donaldson of Dickson, TN 

Joy Dotson (Randle) of Dickson, TN 

Anita Quillen (Randall) of Centerville, TN 

Susan McCollum of Erin, TN

3 Step-Grandchildren 

11 Step-Great-Grandchildren

4 Step Great-Great-Grandchildren

As well as several Nieces & Nephews

Preceded in death by:

Parents: James Dewey Jarrell and Daisy Emma Haston Jarrell

Husbands: Paul Adam Litteral Arthur Preston Donaldson

Brothers: James Jarrell Charles Jarrell Jere Jarrell

Step-Son: Larry Donaldson

Arrangements entrusted to Spann Funeral Home & Cremation Services, located in Dickson, Tennessee.

Spann Funeral Home serves families throughout Dickson County including Dickson, Charlotte, Burns, White Bluff, Fairview, Bon Aqua, Lyles, and Cumberland Furnace, as well as other surrounding Middle Tennessee communities.