Joyce Zenobia Saunders was born  12/01/1938 and raised by William T. (Bing) Young, retired Navy man and Clarisse Z. Young, a hairdresser. They raised her at 4607 Woodland Avenue in the Southwest section of Philadelphia.

Enjoyed her younger years playing in Clark Park area, sliding down the hills during snowdays.

1944 to 1953 - Primary School Years
She attended primary school with School District of Philadelphia, Wilson Elementary and West Philadelphia High School.

1953-1957- Post Secondary School
For college she went to Cheyney University to gain post secondary degree of Bachelors Degree in Teaching.

1957- 1961
She also went to get a Graduate Masters Degree in Teaching from Temple University.

1961-1989
She worked for the School District of Philadelphia (28 years)
As an elementary school teacher of 3rd and 4th grades at Elkins School, Edmonds School and Mc Call School.

1989-1995
She also worked in the private education sector through various Christian Academy's in North Philadelphia and Germantown areas.

Her family life is as follows. She married Arthur Saunders in 1966. Gave birth to one child, a daughter, Nerfades Saunders in 1977. She has a sister, Evelyn. Evelyns, daughter Kathy and her daughters Erica and Ashley.

A life long Christian she attended various ministry's. From childhood at St. Simons Episcopal Church in South Philadelphia to
Deliverance Evangelistic church and eventually landing at Spirit and Truth Worship and Training Church
1995- 2025, under Go Tell it Ministries, Bishop Michael Freeman.

She also served in different capacities in the church as Elder/Mother, Deaconess and Saint in the church.

She loved to travel and went to other countries like Spain in Europe,
Went to France and visited Eiffel Tower.
In 1995, she traveled to West Indies in Carribean Sea. Dominica, Curacoa, Barbados, and Martinique with family.

Went to go whale watching in Massachusetts at the Cape May. (During teaching sabbatical)

She was creative and stylish person.

In the younger years, she participated in Acting and performance arts at The Church of the Advocate in North Philadelphia (There is where she met her future husband, Arthur Saunders)

They were a part of an Performance organization called Theatre 14. This performance organization which also had the actor called Sherman Helmsley).

Joyce participated in the theater groups, various productions . She performed in the play Raisin in the Sun (Joyce played the wife). Lorraine Hansberry wrote the story. Arthur performed in the play Dial M for Murder. Langston Hughes also was hot at the time.

She loved God and deeply cared for her family, church and the community in which she served.