Joyce R. Pound

Joyce Ruth Pound was born to Ruth (Rice) & David Wallace Chisholm in Marlborough, Massachusetts. About a year and a half later, brother David Wallace Chisholm Jr. joined the family. When Joyce was 6 years old, the family moved to Springport Township, New York. Joyce’s elementary school years were conducted in the Union Springs Church School (of the New York Conference of Seventh-day Adventists educational system), and for high school, she attended Union Springs Academy. She briefly attended Atlantic Union College in South Lancaster, Massachusetts (of the Atlantic Union Conference of SDA educational system), but returned home before finishing a degree.

In 1953, she married Bob (Robert Earl) Pound, a fairly new music teacher at Union Springs Academy. To this union were born two children: Kathryn Faye Pound (now Kathy McFarland), born in Auburn, NY; and Dale Edward Pound, born in Hinsdale, Illinois.

Joyce was an accomplished pianist, organist, and accompanist – for soloists and choirs. Throughout her lifetime, she played for weekly services at the churches of several denominations (from Catholic to Church of Science; Unitarian; Presbyterian; Methodist; Reformed; and, of course, Seventh-day Adventist, of which she was a member). And these denominations where she played the organ covered several states, including New York, Illinois, Ohio, Arkansas, Maryland, and then back to New York again. Aside from a brief hiatus for a couple of years, she played many Sabbath (Saturday) services in the Adventist church and then EVERY Sunday service for other denominations – EACH & EVERY WEEKEND! It is believed her greatest musical accomplishment was when she became organist/choir director for the Owasco Reformed Church. Being a small church choir, they did not always have enough people to cover all the voice parts for traditional choral music. So Joyce would make her own arrangements (a talent in its own right and new to Joyce!) so that the choral parts did not sound as if something was missing. She would write out the changed parts and copy them off for her grateful choir members. She played the organ and piano well into her 80s when her eyesight began to deteriorate.

Joyce was more than just a musician. She was a caring mother who demonstrated her love for her family through the many baked goods and delicious meals she prepared. And those blessings were also extended to the community. In her retirement years, she became known as “the cookie lady” to the students of Union Springs Academy. And her choir members at Owasco Reformed Church often received jars of homemade jam for Christmas. Even in her last few years, when her daughter took over the main cooking, Joyce always had good ideas on how to improve recipes, use up leftovers (she was Scottish, after all!), and make dishes like “red flannel hash.” Joyce was also an expert seamstress. One year, Bob’s choir was presenting an oratorio named “Esther,” and Joyce made all the costumes – this on top of learning all the music to accompany the choir and attending their rehearsals! She also sewed many of her own (and Kathy’s) clothes.

Following two hospital stays, Joyce was 91 when she passed away in Auburn on June 4. She was predeceased by her: Parents – Ruth Catherine (Rice) & David W. Chisholm Sr. (both in 1982); Husband – Bob (Robert Earl) Pound (1991); Brother – David W. Chisholm Jr. (2007); Son – Dale (2020).

She is survived by her: Daughter – Kathy McFarland (of Springport, New York); Granddaughters – Janelle Corbel (and Mike of Whitecourt, Alberta, CANADA) and Joanne Rasmussen (of Springport, New York); Grandson – Corey Pound (of Phoenix, Arizona); Great-grandsons – Wyatt, Archer, and Otto Pound (of Phoenix, Arizona); Cousin – Mina Gravatt (of Aztec, New Mexico); Niece – Missy Thurston (and Rob of Springport, New York).

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Wednesday, June 17, at 12pm in the Union Springs Seventh-day Adventist Church, 31 USA Way (off Spring St.). All are welcome to attend! In lieu of flowers, family and friends are invited to make donations to the Union Springs Seventh-day Adventist Church (P.O. Box 556, Union Springs, NY 13160) for the maintenance and upkeep of the church organ, which Bob and Joyce were instrumental in obtaining. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Joyce R. Pound, please visit our floral store.