Myrtle Joyce Nicholson Burton

Myrtle Joyce Nicholson Burton, 72, of Clarkesville, Georgia, went home to be with her Lord and Savior on August 12, 2026, following a courageous and hard-fought battle with cancer.

While her family’s hearts are broken, they find comfort knowing that her earthly suffering has ended and that she is now rejoicing in the presence of Jesus—the Savior she loved and trusted throughout her life. The family holds tightly to the promise that this is not goodbye forever, but goodbye for now.

Joyce was born March 9, 1954, in Toccoa, Georgia, to the late Clyde Andrew and Callie Wall Nicholson. She was a woman who loved deeply, cared fiercely, and gave so much of herself to others. To the world, she wore many hats throughout her life, but to those who loved her most, she was wife, mother, Mum Mum, sister, aunt, and the person they could always count on.

Joyce leaves behind her husband, David O. Burton; her daughter and son-in-law, Victoria Hester and Josiah Redman; and her beloved grandson, Clayton Hearty, who lovingly knew her as “Mum Mum.” She is also survived by her siblings, Henry Nicholson and his wife, Molly, and Retha Nicholson, along with many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.

Joyce was preceded in death by her parents, Clyde and Callie Nicholson, and her younger brothers, Herman Nicholson and Freddy Nicholson.

To her daughter, Joyce was so much more than a mother. She was her biggest fan, greatest supporter, and one of the people who believed in her most. She had a gift for making those she loved feel seen, encouraged, and never alone. Becoming Clayton’s “Mum Mum” brought her another special kind of joy, and the love they shared will remain a treasured part of her family’s memories.

Joyce had a creative and gentle spirit. She loved to sew, craft, and make beautiful things with her own hands. She also loved to read and could happily lose herself in a good book. The simple things brought her joy, and her love for creating and caring became woven into the lives of those around her.

Throughout her life, Joyce wore many hats and poured her heart into every one. She earned her LPN and spent several years caring for newborns at Stephens County Hospital before returning to college to earn her degree in Early Childhood Education. She worked at Head Start, substituted throughout the years at Habersham County schools, and worked at Carwood, Bon Jour of Switzerland, Habersham Hardware, and the Habersham County Tax Assessors Office. She finished her working career with the Department of Family and Children Services as an Aged, Blind, and Disabled caseworker.

Wherever she worked, Joyce cared about people. She took pride in knowing her DFCS clients as individuals—not simply as cases—and genuinely wanted to make a difference in their lives. Caring for others was never just her work; it was part of who she was.

Joyce was baptized as a child at Antioch Baptist Church, and her faith remained a steady thread throughout her life. Her favorite hymn was “Victory in Jesus,” and those words became especially meaningful during her final battle.

Joyce fought bravely and with the same strength and resilience that defined her life. On August 12, the battle was over. The pain was gone. The fight was finished. And Joyce was finally home.

Her family will miss her voice, her stories, her encouragement, her crafts, her presence, and all the little things that made her simply Joyce. But they will carry her with them—in the things she taught them, the love she gave, the memories she created, and the pieces of her heart she left behind.

Most of all, they will carry her faith.

While those who love her grieve here on earth, they can picture Joyce rejoicing with her Savior, free from pain and sickness, and finally seeing the face of the One she trusted all her life.

Until they meet again, Joyce will be loved beyond measure, remembered with gratitude, and missed every single day.

“Victory in Jesus, my Savior forever.”

No formal services are planned at this time.

An online guest registry is available for the Burton family at www.mcgaheegriffinandmcentire.com

McGahee-Griffin & McEntire Funeral Home of Cornelia, Georgia (706/778-8668) is honored to serve the family of Myrtle Joyce Nicholson Burton.